Melinda and Jim: The Lost Scenes
by GhostWhispererFangirl
Summary: A collection of "lost" scenes from each episode of Ghost Whisperer. Will contain spoilers to the story lines throughout the show. Rated M for chapters with Sexual Content.
1. The Pilot

**A/N: A collection of "lost" scenes from each episode of Ghost Whisperer. I wanted to write something more show based that isn't an AU, and I'm rewatching the series haha**

 **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Her eyes examined the dress, each stitch, each jewel, each droop in the fabric.

Tomorrow is the day where her dream comes true.

The day when she will be married. The day when in the eyes of the state, their families, and God himself see Melinda Gordon and Jim Clancy as each other's for life.

"Would you like to try it on one last time?" The attendant asked.  
"No. I don't have time," she sighed. "Lots of things to get done before tomorrow."  
"Alright," the attendant said and carefully wrapped it up for her. "Here you go, Miss. Gordon. Congrats on your big day."  
"Thank you," she smiled and grabbed the dress, exiting the store swiftly.

The clouds erupted as she ran to her Jeep Liberty and hung her dress out in the back. She quickly made sure everything was intact and dry before closing the trunk and racing to the front seat.

She relaxed against cushioned seat and closed her eyes.

"Everything will slow down tomorrow. Everything you've been building up for the past year will be worth it tomorrow," she reminds herself before turning on the jeep.

She watched the time flash on as she put the car in reverse.

 _4:30 pm_

Maybe Jim has a break. It wouldn't hurt to find out.

She backed out from her spot in front of the dress store and drove down Main Street. She quickly got to the firehouse and parked outside. She shut the car off and placed her keys in her purse and grabbed her phone.

Hey, do you have a break?  
 _I just got back from a call, and we're playing some poker. Why?  
_ No reason. I was just wondering.  
 _What do you have up your sleeve, Miss. Gordon?  
_ Nothing. I love you :)  
 _I love you too_

She grabbed her purse and held it above her head as she hopped from her jeep and ran into the firehouse.

The smell of smoke lingers in the air as she walked past the newest rig.

She spots a group of guys playing poker and slowly walks toward them.

"Can I be your good luck charm?" She whispered in his ear as she sat on Jim's lap.  
"Mel... I thought you'd stop by," Jim laughed and threw out his cards. "Fold."  
"Well I won't see you tonight so I needed a proper goodbye," she laughed.  
"I'm glad you stopped by. It started to get boring around here." He said and then kissed her cheek. "What are you doing on this side of the square anyway?"  
"I had to go pick up my dress," she said and smoothed out her skirt. "Everything is set for tomorrow. Just need to make sure everything is set at the church and the venue for our reception."  
"Think I could-" He smirked as he moved to stand in front of her.  
"No," she laughed, the smile never leaving her face. "Not a chance."

She bent her head down to press a soft kiss to his lips, his hands moved over her hips.

"I missed you," she whispered. "You left so quickly this morning I didn't get the chance to kiss you goodbye."  
"Well I'm here now," he replied and smiled at her as her dark eyes focused on his.

Jim knew that look.

He knew that look well. He loved that look.

A smirk tugged at one corner of his lips as his hands rubbed over her hips a few times before one reached behind her and rubbed her back.

"So I'll see you tomorrow when you walk down the aisle," he breathed as his lips attached to the juncture of her neck and shoulder.  
"I'll see you..." She moaned in response, her head tilting back to give him more room, her nails scratching over his shoulders. "...tomorrow..."  
"Don't forget that my mom's taxi will be outside our house at 7. She can't wait to have a nice night in with you," he reminded her, his teeth grazed across her collarbone and she sat up straight.  
"Me either. I'll see you tomorrow," she said with a grin before stealing another kiss. "I love you.  
"I love you too," he grumbled with a pout.  
"Bye guys! I'll leave you all to it now," she smiled toward the group of guys.  
"Afternoon, Mel," Sulley, Sweet, old, Jim's mentor Sulley, said with a grin on his face. "What brings you by today?"  
"Hey Sull," she smiled, and gave him a hug. "I didn't have anything scheduled, so I dropped in to see how Jim's doing and say hello. You're coming to the wedding tomorrow, right?"  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he reassured her.  
"Alright. See you then," she smiled at him. "Make sure he doesn't get too busted up before tomorrow for me?"  
"I'll keep him out of trouble," he laughed. "Have a nice night."

Jim watched her through the window as she ran through the rain with her purse over head and climbed into her car. She saw him through the window and waved before driving off. When he turned around, Ralph, Hector, Matt and Bobby were sitting at the table. Then Hector started a slow clap. Then Matt and Bobby joined in. Sulley tried not to smile as he did the same. It slowly but surely progressed in raucous applause and shouts.

"Fuck off," he muttered and grabbed his new cards.  
"Forget about the cards, Kitchen Bitch. I need a cigarette and some chocolate. Go bake me some brownies," Sulley said with a wide grin.  
"Seriously?" He muttered to himself but did as he was told.

He's still a rookie around here.


	2. The Crossing

**A/N: I love Jim's mom. I wish they had brought her around more and didn't switch out the actresses in season four.**

* * *

She was eating the dinner like she thought it was poisoned. Each forkful was tinier that you'd feed a baby and even then she nibbled it, pausing before taking any more. She was careful too not to allow the food to touch her lips.

"Is something wrong with the food mom?" Jim asked looking up from his plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  
"No. I'm just trying to think of what I wanted to say." Faith answered with a smile. "So Melinda, I hear you're a wonderful business woman. Tell me about this shop of yours."  
"Well, it's something I've always wanted to do. I think I mentioned it to you once before." Melinda explained. "I've always been facinated with antique and the old stories behind stories behind them, so when my grandmother died-" the television erupted with sound from the living room, startling them all from their nice dinner. "Oh wow... that's surprising."  
"It's the tv. It's umm..." He stuttered.  
"On the fritz." She finished her husband's sentence.  
"Let's fix it." Jim replied.  
"Okay... yeah!" She said and they both jumped from their seats, leaving Faith alone at the dinner table.

They flew into the living room and Jim focused on turning the tv off.

"Oh honey, did you touch the remote?" She leaned down to talk to Kenny.  
"No. Who's that?" Kenny asked, pointing at Jim.  
"Oh this is my husband. Jim say hello to Kenny," she said grabbing Jim's attention, and whispered the next thing. "On the couch."  
"Uh hi Kenny," he said staring at the empty loveseat, except the cat sat prominently on top.  
"Hi," Kenny waved.

She left the living room and he followed her.

"What's going on?" He asked.  
"I think it's the electromagnetic field messing with the tv." She explained.  
"You just had me talk to a ghost." He stuttered and looked down at his wife.  
"How'd it feel?" She asked with a slight smile on her face.  
"Strange," he replied.  
"Is everything alright?" Faith asked.  
"Yeah!" They replied and walked back toward the table in the kitchen/  
"It was an electrical surge. You know these old houses," he explained rationally to his mom.

There is still a soft hum from an old cartoon show playing in background.

"I think the tv may still be on..." Faith replied.  
"Ruggles likes it," she chuckled.  
"The cat? How odd..." Faith replied and picked at her food a bit more.  
"It keeps him company," he said sipping from his mug.  
"Old little tabby," she said doing the same.

They both drank from their coffee mugs, Melinda gripped hers tighter as the tv magically changed channels.

"That's one talented cat..." Faith sighed.

They both nod, glancing at each other slightly.

* * *

"That was a disaster," Melinda sighed as she brought Jim their dirty dishes.  
"It wasn't that bad." Jim said and took the plates from her. "My mom is used to strange things, she lived with two teenage boys at one point. Just relax."

Maybe she'd take a shower... or a bath.

A bath sounded really nice right now and she could probably talk Jim into a nice massage afterward. Which could lead to so many different things if his mother wasn't here.

She headed for the kitchen table again, grabbing the coffee mugs and silverware. She walked silently up behind him and slipping the dishes into the sudsy water. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug, leaning her tired head on his back.

"Would you mind if I take a bath or shower?" She asked, and felt his intake of breath.  
"No, of course not, babe," he said, briefly squeezing her hand around his waist. "Go ahead and I'll get everything cleaned up."  
"Are you sure?" She asked, grinning into his broad shoulders.

She loved his body. He so steady and dependable, and she doesn't want to think of anything else.

"I'm sure. Today was rough on both of us, especially you. Maybe there will be a glass of wine waiting for you one your bedside table and a massage from me," he promised. "Now go on so I can get this finished."  
"It'll be a bath," she offered and ran off to turn on the water.

He smiled at her offer and reached into the sudsy water, thinking of how Melinda would be soon lying in the bathtub filled with hot water, rubbing soap all over herself.

Damn dishes.

* * *

Twenty minutes later he walked into the bathroom to find it empty. He walked through the bathroom and into their bedroom to find her sitting at her vanity.

She met her husband's eyes in the mirror and finished rubbing the moisturizer into her skin, the pads of her fingers and thumbs working gentle circles over her cheeks and chin.

"Where's my wine?" She joked.  
"We're out. I'll get some after work tomorrow," he mumbled against her neck.  
"Oh. That's right." She replied. "We drank it last weekend with Andrea."  
"It was a good night," he whispered, taking her earlobe between his teeth and nipping lightly.

She moaned softly as his lips shifted to just below her left ear. His mouth probed the sensitive skin, his hands coming to land on her side.

"Don't," she warned, wiggling out of his grip and smacking his ass through the thin material of his pants. "Your mom is here."

He gave her a mock pout and stepped around her to walk toward the closet. She avoided watching him in the mirror as she unplaited her hair and shook the waves loose. Letting her eyes linger on the sight of Jim shirtless would do nothing to quell her libido, and thanks to the close quarters with his mom, they hadn't made love since this morning and probably wouldn't until she left on Sunday.

She threw back the sheets on the king-sized bed and pounded the pillow with her fist a few times. She shifted the sheer nightgown over her thighs as she settled against the plush mattress and curled onto her side. She'd always been a fan of frilly sleepwear; although she and Jim generally slept naked more often than not these days, she drew the line at sleeping naked when a guest is in their home.

A ribbon of moonlight casted everything in a hazy greenish glow. Above her head, a fan's blades whistled rhythmically while outside the window the quiet shushing sound of the wind sang a nocturnal lullaby. A smile played on her lips as she closed her eyes and tried to get comfortable in the oppressive warmth of the room.

The mattress beside her shifted, and she felt herself being tugged back flush against the familiar curve of his chest and waist. His lips found the slope of her neck and resumed the explorations that he had begun in the bathroom moments earlier.

"I'm going crazy not being able to make love you," he murmured into her ear, sending a frisson of desire slithering along her spine, both from the heat of his breath and the lust in his voice.

One hand threaded between her arm and her waist and cupped her breast, his thumb coaxing the nipple to stiffen. As he pinched and tugged and rolled the sensitive bud, she felt her body beginning to respond to his touch.

"You have to stop that," she moaned, biting back another as his other hand palmed one cheek of her rear end, and he shifted deliberately so his erection pressed insistently into her ass.

His teeth worried her earlobe again.

"Maybe I don't want to." He whispered into her ear.  
"Jim, your mom…" She whined.  
"She is sound asleep, babe. She is so dead tired from traveling that nothing is going to wake her up right now." His tongue darted out to trace the outermost shell of her ear. "I want you. I need you."

His hand slid down her breast to the flat plane of her stomach as he guided her body to twist around to face his. The hungry look in his eyes shot more heat radiating through her limbs and to her core, and when his mouth bowed into that private smile that he only directed at her, she lost any willpower to fight him.

She needed him too.

His strong hands framed her cheeks and brought her lips to his. She used her own hands to tangle through his curls as she moved her mouth eagerly against his.

Kissing Jim was her favorite thing to do. But there was something so intimate about their mouths connecting, fusing together and their breaths mingling as if sustaining each other. She could kiss him forever.

Their lips molded effortlessly, his increasing the passion of the embrace by swathing his tongue along the seam of her mouth, nudging his way inside with leisurely licks and gentle bites. She whimpered when his hand dipped inside her panties.

"Shh," he ordered. "You're going to have to be quiet tonight, love."

She nodded and slipped her tongue back into his mouth. She let him dominate the kiss for several moments before she retreated and plundered with his mouth with more ferocity from her tongue. He groaned softly, but the sound was swallowed before she could scold him back.

He hauled her atop him, tugging her nightgown up, and when she issued a quiet protest, he ignored her and dragged the garment over her head. Automatically, she reached down and pulled the sheet further up over their bodies.

"You're a bad influence, Mr. Clancy," she whispered, feeling the satiny fabric drifting down to cloak them.

He chuckled softly and his fingers climbed her spine, urging her up his torso so that her breasts were directly above his mouth. She planted her palms on either side of his pillow, bracing her weight on them as she settled over his erection.

"You love it," he growled lowly, his tongue flicking out to tease one dormant nipple to peak, then he leaned up to graze it with his teeth.

She bucked her hips, crushing her breast to his mouth. He eagerly parted his lips to suckle the supple mound while his fingers probed over the pliant flesh of her other breast. Then he switched his ministrations and lavished the other breast with his mouth. She continued to rock her pelvis over his, each thrust forward bringing the friction she so desperately sought for.

Had it really only been since this morning?

"Get these off me," he released her breast from his mouth and gestured down towards their lower halves.

She shifted her body to the left, raising her hips to access the waistband of his pajamas. Gently she worked the soft fabric over his thighs and legs, and he bent his knees as best as he could to aid her.

"Take yours off too," he added gruffly when she neatly balled up the pants and placed them within quick reach on her vacant pillow.

It took some effort, but she managed to wiggle out of her panties and set them with his. In the muted glow from the moon, she saw him smiling up at her.

"You're about to make love to your husband with your mother in-law asleep just across the hall…" He laughed.  
"Don't make me change my mind," she teased, dipping down to kiss him again. "Didn't I already tell I told you that you were a bad influence?"  
"Oh yeah," he smirked, weaving one hand through her hair and trailed down between her tight.

She responded by snaking her hand down to wrap around him. As she began to pump his shaft, a quiet cough followed by a wheeze caused her to freeze, her eyes widening. Her head snapped automatically to their bedroom.

"She's not there," he murmured. "It must be the humidity in the air. Just takes getting used to. She's asleep, love."  
"We can't risk it. I'd be scarred for life, and so would she. Remember the time Andrea caught us in the kitchen last year? It would be ten times worse." She explains. "This needs to be quick."

Exhaling a measured breath, she grabbed his length and eased down onto him, earning a garbled "fuck" whistled between his gritted teeth. Once she was fully impaled on him, she swiveled her hips and lowered her body flush against his, and he began to thrust up, his grip on the back of her neck tightening.

She closed her eyes and sunk her teeth into her lower lip to contain her cries of pleasure as he increased his speed and she struggled to match his rhythm. Her breasts jiggled and repeatedly smashed against his chest, and for a second, she opened her eyes and met his, still impossibly and indisputably blue in the dim light.

"I love you," she murmured.

But as she declared the three words, he plunged back into her with such force that she couldn't stifle the cry that tumbled off her lips.

"Mel, shh." He clamped his hand over her mouth, his eyes locked on hers.

His grip was so firm, yet his gaze held nothing but love and passion, his attempt to silence her only stoked the fire already blazing in her core.

As he continued to thrust into her, he changed the angle so subtly that it filled her to the hilt. She knew this shift was intentional for her benefit. Her eyes rolled back, the tension building in, and she groped for a fistful of sheets as another scream bubbled in her throat.

"Can you be quiet now?" he asked.

She stared down at him and shook her head slowly. A wicked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I know I'm that good, but you know..." He laughed and kissed her. "But at least my girl is honest. I'm close. Are you?" She nodded frantically, and his grin widened and his eyes shone. "Can we come together, you think?" She bobbed her head 'yes' again. "Good. Come with me, Melinda."

And with a few last thrusts, he slammed his pelvis up as she rolled her hips down and the coil snapped, her walls fluttering madly as her orgasm ripped through her. She panted against his palm, relishing the feel of him pulsing inside her, his warmth flooding her while his body trembled beneath her as he rode out his own climax.

"Mmm…so good." He released her mouth from his hand and replaced it with his lips, kissing her slowly.  
"Jim..." She gasped and laid her head on his chest.  
"I love that my mom came to visit..." He murmured against her neck as she curled into him. "And it means a lot to me that she visited. But I can't wait to be back in our schedule, making you scream my name every night."  
"I bet I can make you scream _my name_ first." She smiled dreamily.  
"Now that's a bet I'll accept. What are we wagering, Miss. Gordon?" He asked, kissing her forehead.  
"Oh I'm sure you'll think of something. You always do," she whispered as the delicious tendrils of slumber and the gentle rush of the wind outside the window lured them both to sleep.


	3. Ghost, Interrupted

**A/N: I'm so glad they acknowledged Melinda's grandma in this episode. I also loved how the twins knew how the other was feeling and would say similar things even though one of them were dead. That was definitely a cool aspect. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

They stood there, by the lake just examining the night sky.

Grandview's night sky was phenomenal compared to the city which was usually a hazed cloudy mess

The matte charcoal black sky was uncontrollably covered in thousands and millions of bright specks.

Melinda loved that she could see star, after star, after star, a never ending void of light that projects beautifully over the lakes surface. She envied people that could read that stars. The complicated configurations and patterns of light which have taken years to be seen by the average naked eye. Below, the blacked out hillside can just be seen by the happily married, its roughness and texture now one clean flat shape, dissolving down into the dewy grass and the deep waters below.

She leaned into her husband's embrace, her head on his shoulder.

"What time is it?" She asked looking up at him slightly.  
"It's a little after midnight... why?" He replied, peering at his watch.

She smiled, and the tears in her eyes agn to fall.

"Happy birthday grandma," she whispered to the night sky.  
"Are you sure you don't want to visit her grave?" He asked as he kissed her forehead.  
"It's too far away," she replied. "Let's go home. I need to get out of this dress."  
"Well we don't have to go home for you to get out of that dress," he laughed and guided her back to her jeep.  
"I'm waiting until we get home," she warned him. "Don't try anything if you want to do the honors when we're in our bed."  
"Yes ma'am," he said and opened her door for her.

She swiftly got inside and buckled herself in.

"What?" She asked, after seeing he's still standing there.  
"Nothing," he replied and smiled at her.

He lowered his face to her and their lips met, the moment was perfect. He placed his hand on her jaw and drew her closer, deepening the kiss.

Shifting backwards, he closed the door and went to the driver's side. He looked at her as he turned the car on, his eyes glistening in the darkness.

She emitted a tiny gasp when she notes the familiar glaze over in his eyes. It was like she just enchanted him, ensnaring him with her gaze. She pulled her hair from the long ponytail, her hair fell over her shoulders and she rested her hand on top of his.

She squirms with desire from her seat and then the scent of his new cologne drifts past her nose, a scent she's quickly becoming addicted to. A tingling sensation disrupted her ruse and the tables turned. She was now caught in his web.

This game of desire was intoxicating.

"How long is the drive from here until home?" She asked, squeezing his hand slightly.  
"About an hour," he said and pulled onto the highway. "There's a motel up the road about a bit."  
"Let's go and get us a room," she smiled and squeezed his hand.

He chuckled and turned right a few moments later, parking in front of the motel office. He came out with a room key seconds later and opened her door for her.

"Your castle awaits," he joked and pressed a kiss to the top of her hand, locking the car behind them.

His hand reached under her hair below her ear, his thumb caressed her cheek. Suddenly she saw him, his eyes revealed more than his words could express. Her heart fluttered as he drew her to his lips and gave her a passionate kiss.

"Whoa, where did that come from?" She gasped breathlessly.

They'd been married for 3 weeks and kisses like that were somewhat hard to come by during their busy day-to-day lives now. Between Jim's work schedule, Melinda's store and her ghost-busting, they were lucky if they could exchange two words with each other, but they made time.

"I've got more where that came from." He whispered in her ear and pulled her toward the hotel room.  
"Cornball," she teased as she pulled off her heels as he opened he door.

Jim hadn't changed much in the years they'd been together. He was a paramedic and part-time fireman and the work of saving people's live and cakes kept him bulky and strong. Lately, she found herself admiring him more than usual, either with her eyes or her hands or even her mouth.

Her husband was very handsome in everyday life, but in a suit he made her knees go weak. He looked even better sometimes in just his uniform, a fact that was also not lost on some of his patients and co-workers. His black hair and deep blue eyes were a contrast to Melinda's complexion, brown eyes and Coca-Cola colored hair. They made an attractive couple and it was in moments like these when Melinda could relax enough to appreciate this fact.

"Do you remember the road trip we took to that music festival up in Pennsylvania? We got that RV with Bobby, Andrea, Matt and Gina?" She recounted as they walked into the shabby room.  
"Yeah, it was supposed to have a pull out couch and two queen beds in the back, but they ended up overbooking so we had to cram into a tight little RV with only one bed," he smiled at the memory.

She stopped and turned to Jim, standing on her tip-toes.

"I wanted you so badly," she whispered in his ear.

He groaned and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We couldn't get any privacy. Remember what we did?" He said as he rained kisses on her neck.

Melinda swayed her hips against his, remembering the sultry air, the loud music and the people dancing up and down.

"There were bonfires everywhere so we ended up in between some trees. That was one of the best nights of my life." She laughed.

Jim chuckled, the humor a contrast to the heat that was blazing up between them. When she looked up at him, her breath caught in her chest.

"You are so handsome," she said simply, pulling him down to kiss him, tasting wine on his lips.

She wound her arms around his neck and strained against him, seeking relief from the painful throbbing that was building between her thighs. His hands ran the length of her sides, causing her to sigh against his lips.

He broke off suddenly, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes as his fingers pulled down her dress and it pooled around her ankles. He pulled her up into his arms, no hesitation on his part and that's what she loved. She trusted his strength, the arms she could have around her in a second at the bat of her eyes.

He laid her on the bed, tugging her cotton underwear down over her firm, shapely legs. Without warning, he spread her legs and flicked his tongue over her, causing her to moan loudly and buck her hips against him.

"Hungry much?" She gasped as she pulled on his hair.

He pulled back, looking at her with the kind of look a hunter gives his prey.

"You have no idea," he returned his attention to her, ravishing her with his lips and tongue.

Running her hands through his charcoal locks, she tugged when he sucked, causing her legs to shake below her. He placed one of her legs over his shoulder to gain greater access and greedily ran his tongue over her center, saying her name against her so the vibration reached all the way up to her cheekbones. She panted when he slipped his fingers inside of her, the rhythm he knew so well causing her to climb. In embarrassingly short order, she exploded around his fingers and mouth, her muscles clenching and fluttering.

The air filled with the sounds of her pleasure and before she could finish, she grabbed his tie and pulled him to her face and kissed him.

"I love you," he whispered against her jaw, her fingers undoing his tie.  
"I love you too," she smiled up at him.  
"I have an idea, but you have to be up for it." He chuckled, his mouth sucking against her neck.  
"What?" She moaned and pulled it loose.  
"This... I'm going to use this," he said and places her hands against the headboard and tied them their with the tie.

She chuckled and pulled on it to test its strength and watched her husband undress. He rose to his feet, pulling the belt from his pants and kicking them off. He pushed off his boxers and pulled his dress shirt over his head before leaning down against her.

Lifting her off the bed so that her back was perched against the bed, he entered her, as she called out his name. He kissed her and flooded her mouth with the taste of herself, a flavor she hadn't tasted in a while.

"You feel so good," he growled, pulling down the strap of her bra, slowing his pace to suck on her breasts.

When he'd sucked on both breasts until their tips were standing at rigid attention, he brought his mouth up to kiss her again, slamming his hips into her, his legs quivering from the exertion. Melinda ran her lips over his neck, her breath exploding from her as she neared another orgasm. This time, they came together, his teeth clamping down on her shoulder as she threw her head back with an abandon she hadn't felt since their wedding.

"Jim, god, yes!" She shouted as he shuddered, emptying the last of his orgasm inside of her.

Leaning against her for a moment to catch his breath, he let her legs slide gently down over him until her feet were around him.

"Let's not go home just yet. We can stay here for bit..." He whispered against his sticky neck.  
"You'll get no arguments here," he said, squeezing her to him before releasing her to kiss her.

He reached for his boxers and pulled them over her hips.

"I love you," she practically purred as she pulled him to her, her hands roaming beneath the elastic of his shorts, fondling him gently. "God, I love him too."  
"Cornball," he chuckled and kissed her neck.


	4. Mended Hearts

**A/N: Connor and Gwen were so cute together in their engagement photos in the episode. And the beginning with Andrea, Jim and Melinda and how they almost got a night free before everything went wrong. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

They walked out of the Little Broadway Theatre, her arm wrapped around his.

"I have been dying to do this since we moved here!" She exclaimed and tucked her other around his subtly.  
"Saturday night... The Grandview Players. High drama," he said as they began to cross the street. "I just hope the theater isn't haunted. It'd be nice to sit through the whole play this time."  
"Hey!" She said and lightly tapped his shoulder. "You know, Cliff and Gwen saw this last week and they loved it."  
"What do you think is going to happen to those two?" He asked, as he stopped to face her, their fingers playing with each other.  
"Who knows? It almost doesn't matter." She took a step toward him, "They are good for each other right now and that's all that counts."  
"Right now is all that counts." He said and tapped her shoulder lightly.  
"Hmm you think so?" She said as her mouth twisted into a smile.  
"As in why don't you and I sneak out right now?" He said motioning over his shoulder for them to leave before he smiled cheekily.  
"Don't you have a life to save or two?" She laughed and peered up at him.  
"Probably... whatever..." He muttered softly and shook his head.  
"I should get back to work too," she said and places her hands on his shoulders.  
"Ok," he said almost inaudibly as her lips brushed against his.

Their lips pressed against each others. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. Her arms twist around his neck as his sneak around her waist, both longed for more.

He pulled away before they lost themselves… in this moment, her senses have been seduced and she could no longer think straight.

"Now look.. I'll lose these." He said slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.

She smiled, her heart fluttered at his voice as she reached for the envelope. She laughed musically as he pressed another kiss to her cheek and walked past her, back to work they must go.

She walked back toward her store, her eyes fell upon a spirit that made her veins run cold.

It was like all of the evils were blasted toward her as he stood, his lips formed a smile that didn't warm her up, it pushed the coldness into her as he cackled sinisterly.

He disappeared, but he stuck with her.

What did he want?  
Why did he have to be so vague with his haunting?

She absent-mindedly walked into the store and past Andrea.

"What's going on Mel?" Andrea asked as she followed her into the back.  
"Creepy haunting," she sighed. "But I'm fine. Any actual customers while I was gone?"  
"One, she bought some candles and asked if we'd have any..." Andrea ran back to grab her pad of paper. "She asked if we had any shipments of snow globes. Do we?"  
"We have some in the back that I haven't put out yet. Did she leave a number?" She asked as she grabbed the box labeled fragile.  
"She did," Andrea said and ripped the paper off and handed it to Melinda.  
"Thank you," she sighed and grabbed the landline, dialing the number. "Hello! Is this Margret Shepard? Hi, this is Melinda Gordon from Same As It Never Was Antiques, I'm calling on behalf of your questions on if we have any snow globes in stock." She began to rummage through the box carefully. "Yes. We do have a few pieces. Do you have any that you have in mind?" She pulled out a simple one with a New York cityscape and examined it. "I do have one like that. It's twenty five dollars." She smiled and placed the item on her desk before he placed the box back on top of the others. "Yes. I will put that on hold for you. Just drop in sometime either Monday through Friday from nine to seven or Saturday from eight to nine. We'll have it wrapped up for you and everything so just tell either myself or my partner Andrea that you have something on hold and give us your name." She paused and grabbed the globe again. "Pleasure doing business with you. Have a great day!"

She placed the phone on the dock and went about to wrap the item.

"I'm guessing that, that went well?" Andrea asked and watched as she carefully wrapped the item in a piece of bubble wrap and white tissue paper.  
"Yes!" She cheered and carefully tucked the wrapped snow globe inside a orange bag. "She was ecstatic that we had a New York one. Her granddaughter is going to school there for photography and wanted to give something like this to her as a birthday present, but couldn't find anything that wasn't under one hundred dollars. I originally planned on selling it for more, but I'm one to be bargained with when a cute story like that comes about." She neatly wrote her name on a sticky note and place it on the outside before tying the handles closed with a piece of ribbon. "You know me... I'm a sucker for stories."  
"You really are," Andrea chuckled. "How's Jim? Did you two have a peaceful lunch?"  
"We did. We even purchased tickets to that new play... I can't remember the name at the top of my head, but Gwen and Cliff saw it and said it was fantastic!" She exclaimed. "It'll be our first date night since we got married... we haven't really had the time to just have a quiet night out with just the two of us."  
"Well I'm glad you two are going to have some fun," Andrea said as they walked out to the counter. "It'll be good for you."  
"I know it will," she smiled.  
"I hope it's a ghost free night." Andrea said as the bell dinged.  
"Don't jinx it," she whispered and smiled before she said, "Welcome to Same As It Never Was. Just let one of us know if you need any help."

Jim walked swiftly to her and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Bobby is covering my shift. I don't have long," he murmured against her lips and pulled her up into his arms and carried her into the back room.  
"I'm just going to go get some lunch," Andrea called out as the back doors clicked shut.

She made her way to the door, turning the sign to Shut as she left.

"Jim?" She asked softly as he pulled her dress from her. "I love you."

Her arms laced around Jim's neck, her legs around his waist as he sat her on the edge of her desk. She pressed her hungry mouth to his. She heard his surprised grunt, but soon his arms have wrapped around her ass, his tongue pushed itself through the seam of her lips.

He wasn't sure how they got here, one second ago he was checking the medical supplies and the next he was booking across the square to make love to his wife.

Her hands grasped his face, his hands squeezed the swell of her hips, their tongues thrashed violently against each other.

Her pelvis grinded against him, as he throbbed painfully against his black work pants. He missed the sweet taste of her tongue.

He reached behind her to carefully place her laptop on her desk chair and clear the desk before lying her down. He never once broke their kiss.

The cold wood cooled her heated skin. He leaned over her form, his lips seared to hers, his hands wandered up and down her sides. He covered the supple hill of her right breast with his left hand, pulling her bra covered nipple between his fingers. She moaned softly into his mouth, thrusting upward into him, causing him to groan in return. His other hand traveled down her thigh, collecting and pulling down her panties, until her legs are bare.

He finally broke away from her mouth, gasping for a breath of air before her let his lips trail red hot kisses down her jaw to her neck, to her pulse point, where he sucked the tender skin into his mouth, causing her to whimper, her hands thrusted into his shaggy black hair.

His hand crawled up her quivering inner thigh, and dipped inside her. Jim sucked air through his teeth.

"Oh God, babe, you're so wet." He hissed and Melinda tried not to let the affectionate name affect her, but her eyes still burned.  
"Ahhh." She called out as he sinks not one, but two fingers inside of her, pumping twice then curling them to touch the soft spot that makes her squirm underneath him

She reached out to grasp the edges of the table, holding tight, whimpering and gasping, bucking her hips as his ministrations speed up.

"Keep going."She breathlessly begs.

"Come on Mel," Jim's voice is raspy and strained. "Come for me..."

A moment later she shattered, her walls tightened around his fingers, earning a groan from him. She mumbled an incoherent version of his name after her cries stop.

His movements slow to a stop and he pulled his wet fingers from out of her, bringing them to his mouth, sucking them clean. A satisfied sound left him before his hands fell to his belt, quickly undoing that and his pants, letting them pool on the floor around his feet. He pushed down his boxer briefs, allowing himself to spring free. He pulled on Melinda's hips, and brought her closer to the edge of the table. He lined himself up with her entrance, but paused, he looked up at her.

"Are you still on…?" He asked, and leaned down to kiss her.  
"Yes," she gasped, nodding her head.  
"I love you," he cupped her cheek and kissed her once more

He plunged into her, and is almost about to come right there.

They had made love as the sun rose this morning, and god had he missed how warm and tight, and perfectly fitted to him she is. He lifted her hips as he slammed into her, knowing how to angle her to hit the spot that makes her howl his name.

The shatter together once more , and when they have both stopped shuddering, Jim pulled Melinda up to his arms. He fell into one of the chairs behind him, pulling her onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her possessively, nuzzling his head into her neck.

"I love you," she whispered as she looked up at him.  
"I love you more," he smiled and claimed her lips again.


	5. Lost Boys

**A/N: These boys were so cute! Especially little Vic with the fur hat, he just made me think of Peter Pan and how much I loved the film when I was a little girl. I loved when Vic asked if Melinda would be his mother and she said she'd be proud to have them as her sons, I think that really helped the, you know? Any kid who was abandoned or orphaned at a young age would feel unwanted and unloved and she gave them that feeling that they were wanted and loved by her. It was so beautiful, especially the crossover.**

 **I am always crying at the end of this episode. One of my favorites. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda dashed downstairs to collect the freshly dried laundry once she heard the buzzer. After collecting all of the clothes, she ran back up the stairs to the first floor.

She loved when she folded laundry, it was quite relaxing. She loved to feel the warm cloth, create order, accomplish something. She knew it wasn't glamorous, no red carpet required, but she wasn't that kind of girl. Give her home, give her health and her husband and she would be happy.

She then saw Jim making himself a bowl of cereal.

"Oh, you're back." Melinda said and placed the basket on the counter.  
"Yeah," Jim said pouring milk in his bowl.  
"Cereal at eight at night?" She laughed and began to fold a pair of her jeans.  
"Don't judge my food choices," he muttered and took a bite.  
"I'm not judging your food choices," she said and began folding another piece of clothing.  
"So what do you think about my friend, Lew Peterson?" He asked and leaned against the counter.  
"I'm not very fond of him, why?" She replied and looked up at him.  
"I invited him to help me put the furnace in," he said and leaned onto the counter.  
"No." She sighed and folded a shirt frustratedly.  
"What?" He asked and finished his bowl of cereal, placing it in the sink.  
"Lew Peterson?" She groaned.  
"He's the only friend I know who knows how to put a furnace in." He replied and walked toward her.  
"But is he reliable? You haven't seen him in a month!" She exclaimed and grabbed a towel and began folding it.  
"Yeah... since our wedding." He said and smiled at her. "I know he's not exactly the poster boy for good manner, but-"  
"But he's your friend..." She sighed.  
"Yeah!" He exclaimed.  
"And I respect that, and I wouldn't come between the two of you, but let's face it. He's rude, and he's crude." She explained to him. "He's an eight grader with a car!"  
"He speaks well of you," he muttered.  
"He doesn't like me. He thinks I'm the Yoko Ono of your friendship, and that I stole you away from the bars and the nightlife." She said, hand gestures and all.  
"Alright... I'll ask him to stay somewhere while we work on the house." He said bending down to face her on the counter.  
"You asked him to stay here?" She muttered and folded the last piece of laundry. "Look now we're gonna have to host him tonight and for the rest of the-"  
"Actually I was hoping you would host him tonight." He explained, and prepared himself for the worst reaction. "I got paged for the midnight to eight shift. And I've really-"

She really disliked Lew, and he knew she had her reasons. He just wished she'd give him another chance.

"Well... in that case, there's something I have to do tonight that I forgot to tell you." She said and grabbed the basket and left the room.

Melinda stormed up the stairs and closed the bedroom door behind her.

Jim paused before running after her.

God, did his wife look good in that blue outfit, it worked for her complexion perfectly and even made her look a little tanner, but if he said that to her she wouldn't find it amusing. She was irritated with him right now.

 **~x~**

"Well that's a little extreme, don't you think?" Jim said and followed her outside.  
"Three little boys need me help," she sighed and swung her bag into her jeep.  
"Three little dead boys. Look spending a night in a haunted house, all alone-" He said and almost stepped on her bush.  
"The bush!" She exclaimed.  
"Yeah... your plant, but a haunted house... alone? I feel like I'm in a John Carpenter film." He said as she hopped inside her jeep.  
"I'll probably sleep better there than here with party boy. And if the inn is destroyed than they'll be earthbound forever." She explained. "And I'm not going to be alone, Mr. Abrams still has a room there."  
"Oh! Old Mr. Abrams has a room there. That makes me feel better. The guy could be serial killer!" He muttered and leaned against her window.  
"It's safe. I promise." She and a smile formed on her face.  
"You promise?" He asked and held up his pink for her.  
"I promise," she giggled and held up her pinky and linked it with his.

He lowered his face to hers and their lips met. A sweet gesture of love.

He placed his hand on her back and drew me closer deepening the kiss. As they parted she saw his eyes sparkle and lips curve up into a smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay. Just keep thinking of how much money we are going to save with Lew helping me put in the furnace instead of paying for a professional." He explained. "Call me in the morning?"  
"Ugh whatever it is... it is not worth it." She sighed and started up her jeep and started to back out of driveway slowly and carefully. "I'll call you before I go to work."  
"He's changed." He tapped the top of her car as she looked over her shoulder. "You'll see."

A truck honk catches the couples attention and Melinda stop her jeep in the road as an older truck speeds into their driveway, running over her bush.

"Oh!" She exclaimed.  
"It's find he just grazed it." He said examining the plant.  
"Hey Mel!" Lew said as he jumped from his truck.  
"Hey... Lew." She sighed.  
"You look great," Lew exclaimed.  
"Huh your too kind. Don't burn the house down." She yelled and put the car in drive and sped off.  
"She's still pissed at me?" Lew asked and turned to Jim.  
"Well you did pass out before the wedding even started, and now you just ran over her favorite plant." He sighed. "You really put me in the dog house."  
"My bad," Lew muttered. "It's good to see you though man."

* * *

Melinda stepped into the dark and quiet Inn.

"Hello?" She called out and closed the door behind her. "Mr. Abrams?"

She reached for the light switch and flicked it a few times, nothing worked.

"It's Melinda Gordon," she fished through her purse and pulls out a flashlight, turning it on. "Hello?"

She began to walk backwards toward the front room before she spun around and saw the old man sitting there reading with some candle light.

"Oh!" She said softly, when she saw him it definitely startled her.  
"Working late?" Mr. Abrams asked.  
"Hi Mr. Abrams. I hope i didn't scare you." She said and laughed uneasily, he doesn't make any facial expressions just looks back at her. "Just thought I'd spend the night and get an early start on tomorrow."  
"You only live a mile up the road." Mr. Abrams replied.  
"Yeah.. well it is our first auction. You know, a lot to prove." She smiled toward him.  
"I do have room you can stay in," Mr. Abrams said and stood up.  
"I met Mr. Northrop earlier." She said and he took her bag from her.  
"Strange sort of man, isn't he?" Mr. Abrams asked.  
"Did you tell him this used to be an orphanage?" She asked.  
"No. He didn't ask." Mr. Abrams said and reached for his candlelight lamp.  
"Did you know he plans to tear this place down?" She asked and they halted at the stairs.  
"He's got the demolition scheduled for Monday." Mr. Abrams exclaimed.  
"He does? I could really use that extra time..." She whispered.  
"You could?" Mr. Abrams asked. "For what?"  
"Well yeah, you know, the extra time to convince him to not tear down the great old place. My husband and I stayed here when we first came to Grandview to look at houses." She replied. "It's such a historic place for this town."  
"This bed isn't very large, just a fair warning." He said and they began to climb the grand staircase.  
"That's a really nice candle lamp. Is it yours?" She asked as they reached the landing.  
"It is," he smiled toward her, and they stopped before they could scale the rest of the staircase. "Do you believe in ghosts, Miss. Gordon?"  
"Uh... Yes? I do." She stuttered. "Do you?"  
"I think they're here. Now." He replied, and looked over the entire Inn. "They're always around us."

He brought her to the room and bid her goodnight.

He wasn't kidding about the small bed, it couldn't have been larger than a full. It'll have to work for tonight.

 **~x~**

After reading the boys Peter Pan, Melinda returned quietly to her room.

She was still so frustrated that Jim hadn't told her about his plans with Lew.

Why couldn't he had just told him to stay at hotel? She hated being mad at Jim.

Hated it.

All she wanted to do was be at their house, in their bed, with no guests. She could not stand Lew for longer than five minutes, and she doesn't know why. His mistake at their wedding hardly changed their day, he hadn't really done anything, but she couldn't warm up to him at all.

And now she needed to relax.

Bad.

As she laid down on the bed and gazed up at the ceiling, her fingertips ghosted over the tender skin of her inner thighs teasingly. She arched her neck as her right hand skims over her thigh to move higher against herself. She pulled her night gown up to stomach. Her middle finger parted her folds, and her smile spread on cheeks, as her fingers swirling around a little bit of the moisture that seeped from her entrance.

"Ohh…" she moaned as she dipped her fingers inside.

Just the sound of herself was enough to make her nipples pucker almost painfully. She felt her jaw fall slack as soon as she trailed her other hand along the delicate skin of her inner thighs before pressing it to her center.

She reminded herself to keep quiet with Mr. Abrams just down the hall.

She closed her eyes, imagining Jim might help, but she just couldn't get herself to relax.

"This is useless," she muttered and pushed herself under the blankets and tossed onto her side to try and get some sleep.

* * *

She was irritated, tired and horny.

Last night had been an absolute disaster, maybe tonight would be better. She'd let Jim bring the best out of her, and possibly annoy the hell out Lew with some loud, amazing sex noises.

Yeah, that would cheer her up, so she'd get her ghost research done now while she waited for Jim and Lew to return home.

After she laid down on the couch she pulls her handy-dandy Penthius and finds some goo information. She scrolled over a picture of the now Inn covered in flames.

"St. Michael's Home for Boys as it appeared just two months before last nights blaze rendered it uninhabitable." She muttered softly. "Locked doors hamper escape from burning orphanage? That's terrible... those poor boys."

She continued to read and scrolled down the page.

"The firefighters were able to bring all but four boys to safety," she said softly. "Ronald Aikins Tracy, Martin Holliman, Victor Reynolds and Ernest Sutter."

Who's Ernest Sutter? She'd have to ask Mr. Abrams and the boys in the morning.

Just then, the front door busted open and Jim, Lew and two other men, whom she'd seen at the firehouse before, fell inside full of laughter. Startled, from the sudden noise she looked over at all of them.

They all straightened up and stood in the hallway.

"Hi Mel," Lew said softly.  
"Did you guys have fun?" She asked and closed her laptop and stood up.  
"I kept him out of trouble," Lew laughed and pointed at Jim.

Jim busted into laughter and a smile came across her face. She loved when _that_ laugh came out, even if it was a once an while thing.

"Uh Honey... You remember Terry and Ralph?" Jim asked.  
"Umm... hello," she said and covered herself with the laptop, she did not feel comfortable in the little clothing she had on in front of strangers.  
"Guys, get a beer... get a beer," he said and pushed them all out of the foyer. "I'm sorry about the intrusion. I'm sorry."  
"No! It's okay," she said softly. "I should get back to the Inn anyway."  
"Wait, what? Now?" He asked and looked at his watch.

It was a little past ten.

"Yeah. It'll be quieter there," she replied and looked up at him. "I need to talk to Mr. Abrams."

The drunken laughter of the guys could be heard.

"I'll keep them in the backyard. Don't go," he said and followed her to the foot of the stairs.  
"No. It's okay, you guys have your fun." She replied and turned to face him. "I just figured it out. It's not about me not liking Lew. It's about me not liking who you are around Lew."

She walked up the stairs calmly and left him downstairs.

* * *

Jim waited outside the room where Melinda was reading to an empty room, whom he bet those boys were in.

It made him want to bring up having kids with her, she'd be so good with kids. _Their_ _kids._

He knew better, he was in the outs right now because of being dumb with Lew. He knew she wasn't ready, was scared their child would have her gift, and to be honest so was he. He doesn't know if he could take care of a so called "normal" kid, but a supernatural kid with all of Melinda's power would be even more difficult.

But they could do it. They could definitely do it.

He dropped the metal letter on accident and startled her, and most likely the little boys as well.

"Sorry," he said as he entered the room.  
"Oh boy! Come back," she said from the chair.  
"Do you think I scared them off?" He asked as she stood up.  
"It is so good to see you," she muttered and pulled him close.

It was a tight hug, she did miss him.

Lew always seemed to irritate her, and Jim's actions did not help, so she turned into wifezilla.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry babe," he said and squeezed her tightly. "It's just when you didn't come home, I got worried."

They separated and she sighed.

"What's wrong?" He asked.  
"It's the boys. They break my heart," she sighed.  
"Maybe we should stay here tonight," he said softly and smile down at her.  
"It's a small bed," she whispered. "Even smaller than you're thinking right now."  
"I think we'll manage," he smirked and winked at her.  
"Okay," she laughed and pulled him toward her room.

He closed the door behind them and chuckled at the size of the bed.

Their king at home was no match to this, she wasn't kidding.

"It squeaks," she held in her laughter as she looked up at him.

He straightened his posture and took a step towards her, sucking in his bottom lip when their eyes met.

"Last night was dreadful without you..." She whispered and turned to face him.

She let out a shaky gasp as his forearm grazed against her waist.

The warmth of her body that radiated through the thin fabric of her nightgown and the feel of her breath on his neck caused all his blood to rush to his crotch. He inched away slowly, and hoped to god that she didn't notice him inhale deeply the scent that was distinctly Melinda, a mixture of fruity shampoo and Irish Spring body wash.

She had a thing where she would use his body wash whenever she could. She once said it comforted her, having the smell of him wrapped around her all day until she could return home to the real thing. He couldn't help but smile at the memory.

He knew he was pushing his luck, being this close to her, so when Melinda caught hold of the front of his shirt and pull him back into her, he froze. A million thoughts and emotions rushed through his head.

What was she doing? Was this really happening? Was it possible, that even after how he'd been with Lew, she wanted him tonight? Was he reading too much into this? God he hoped not.

"Melinda?" He released a shaky breath as her tiny hands fisted his shirt, pulling him closer still. "Wha-what are you doing?"  
"Say it again," she whispered as she leaned, the tip of her nose almost touching his. "Please?"

He could feel her exhale against his face. It was intoxicating. All he wanted to do was pin her against the bed and taste her. She smiled back shyly, waiting for him to respond. What did she want him to say?

"Say what again?" He whispered back.  
"My name." She groaned.

He lowered his gaze when the tip of her tongue darted out to swipe her lower lip. If she'd done it to tease him, it worked. His erection was beginning to press uncomfortably against the zipper of his pants.

"Melinda," he said again.

When her lips slowly curled up into that sexy grin that made him fall in love with her in the first place, he almost lost it. He needed to hold her, to make sure she was real. He clumsily grasped her hips and pulled her against him.

"Jim," she sighed, her lips barely grazing his.

Hearing his name on her lips caused something to stir inside him, something he feared he'd lost forever. It was as if his heart knew that its keeper was just inches away from him.

Being this close to her, feeling the softness of her skin under his touch was more than he could have hoped for after today. All he had to do was lean forward and claim her lips with his.

She was right there.

As if sensing his hesitation, she nudged his nose lightly with hers before she traced his upper lip with her own. That was all the convincing he needed.

Their lips collided in a heated rush, both eager to make up for lost time. Two days had seemed like a lifetime to go without touching her like this, the feel of her waist that fanned out to the soft curves of her hips.

He missed it. He missed all of it. He wanted to grab her ass, to knead it softly in his hands.

When she began to moan into his mouth, he didn't hesitate. His hands took on a mind of their own, exploring every inch of her body that he could reach, as though it was the first time.

She ran the tip of her tongue teasingly along his bottom lip and he was all but willing to grant her access. Both were hesitant at first, but he lost all composure and explored her greedily when she ran her tongue against the roof of his mouth.

When he nipped at her bottom lip, her hips bucked forward causing her heated center to brush up against his hard on that was straining against the front of his pants. Catching him off guard, she wrapped both arms around his sides and reached down to cup his ass, bringing their heaving bodies flush and grinding her hips against his once more. Things were starting to get out of control. He needed to make sure she wanted this.

"After today this is the last thing I thought you had on your mind," he whispered.  
"I was going to jump your bone when you got home, but I didn't expect your friends to come too." She explained. "I wanted to annoy Lew and I thought maybe he'd get a hotel if we were loud enough, but then your other friends tagged along and I got annoyed and left without thinking everything through. Last night was terrible without you, I couldn't relax and when I tried... ugh Jim... I'm not you. I can't touch myself the way you do."  
"Well... I've been with you for almost three years. I can teach you," he joked.  
"Would you?" She asked.  
"You're serious?" He asked and smiled down at her.

He could definitely do that.

"Of course I am," she laughed.

She shifted her body slightly until she was straddling his left leg and began to rub herself against his thigh. The warm dampness of her arousal began to seep through his pants and he swore under his breath, desperate to feel that warmth elsewhere.

Her lips were on his again and he moaned into the kiss when he felt her trembling hand trance the budge in his pants. His circled his arms around her waist again and hoisted her up to rest on his hips, her legs wrapping around him immediately.

She kissed every inch of his face as he brought them to the bed. There was enough moonlight trickling through the window that it bathed her and the room in a beautiful glow.

He begrudgingly broke away from her lips as he set her down gently onto the bed. She sprawled out freely, stretching her arms over her head and spreading her legs open to him, it was invitation he was certain he wasn't misreading.

The room was suddenly too hot, too stuffy, his clothes too constricting, too strained. As though she could read his mind, she pushed herself up, her face mere inches away from his crotch. She reached for his belt, her eyes meeting his as she slide the leather out from the buckle, relieving him of both his pants and boxers in one rough tug.

His member brushed lightly against her cheek as it sprung forward, the feeling so overwhelming it caused him to screw his eyes shut. He scrubbed his face with his hands, his head starting to feel dizzy.

This was a dream. It had to be a dream. An unbelievable dream he never wanted to wake up from.

His eyes sprang open and his knees almost buckled when he felt her hand grip tightly around the base and the warm wetness of her tongue slide teasingly around it.

This was no dream.

Unable to control his own body, his hips bucked forward, pushing himself into her mouth. She took him greedily, sucking in every last inch of him, the roughness of her tongue sending shivers up his spine with each pass over the sensitive underside of his head. He quickly freed himself of his shirt and leather jacket and with the obstructing piece of clothing gone, he watched in awe as she continued to work him with both her hand and mouth.

But he wanted more.

When it came to Melinda, he was a fucking greedy son of a bitch.

He wanted to see her, to taste her, to feel her, to hear the rawness of her voice as she panted his name. God he wanted to be inside her. To feel her clench tightly around him.

He wanted all of it and more. He wanted to drag this out slowly so he could savor every last inch of her and commit each moment to memory, but at the same time he wanted to rip off every last piece of her clothing and drive into her relentlessly.

It was almost too much.

He cupped her chin and pulled back slightly to get her attention. When she looked up at him through hazy, hooded eyes, he fell to his knees and buried his head in her lap.

"I want you," he groaned, inhaling her heady scent. "All of you."

She wiggled her hips and he could tell she was dripping wet; her body could never lie to him. When she tugged at his hair, he looked up hesitantly, worried to find regret written all over her face. Just because her body wanted him, didn't mean that she did.

"Then take me," she whispered before placing a soft kiss to his forehead. "I'm yours. I've always been yours."

He wasted no time ridding her of her nightgown, pulling her fully back up onto the bed until he was hovering over her naked body.

He leaned down and trailed a line of kisses down her neck until he reached the sensitive spot just above her collarbone that he knew drove her insane. He nipped at her skin lightly and kissed it once more before lining himself up at her entrance, the welcoming heat and wetness of her core drawing him closer.

With an impatient thrust, he pushed all the way into her, grunting in approval once he was fully sheathed, her tightness every bit as perfect as he remembered. She moaned as he slowly and teasingly pulled back out all the way. He wanted this to last, so he took his time, memorizing and savoring how her face contorted with pleasure with each thrust.

It took every last bit of willpower for him to stay focused and not give in to the urge to selfishly pound into her until she screamed his name. He faltered the moment she lifted her legs up, opening herself wider to him, the movement of her breasts as her chest heaved causing him to push into her more quickly.

"Yes," she sighed, "just…like…that."

He could never deny her what she wanted. She must be close; he could feel her begin to flutter around him. He couldn't slow down even if he wanted to, he was no longer in control of his own body, but his mind was screaming at him to slow down, to make this last.

"Faster," she panted.

He groaned at her request, hooking his arms under the backs of her knees so he could plunge into her faster and deeper. He couldn't look away from the sight of himself disappearing into her over and over again, but he forced himself to when he heard her start to whimper and her head trashed from side to side in pure ecstasy.

"Jim..." She howled into his shoulder.

She clenched around him tightly as if she never wanted him to leave.

"I promise we can go slow next time, just please…don't stop." She promised breathlessly.

With the promise that this wouldn't be the last time he'd taste her, feel hear, hear her pant his name tonight, he finally gave in to the euphoria his body craved and let go.

Their eyes locked in a heated stare, neither one of them wanting to look away, wanting to watch the other as they fell over the edge.

He was so close.

He gripped her knees tightly as he took in the perfect body of the beautiful woman he'd never stop loving.

"Melinda," he gasped. "Oh Melinda—"  
"I love you," she cried out suddenly.

She was going to be the end of him. That was certain.

He grunted as he let the words wash over him, his heart swelling in his chest as he plunged into her one last time, hard and deep. His hips shook as her back arched off the bed and he spilled into her.

He crumpled into a heap on top of her, careful not to crush her too much by the weight of his limp body. She shifted her sweaty body to the side and reached over to pull his arm across her waist until he was spooning her from behind.

His eyelids were heavy and he'd never felt more exhausted and alive all at the same time. As she kissed his knuckles, and whispered his name breathlessly into the night, he smiled into her shoulder.

He pressed his forehead into the crook of her neck and kissed her gently, eliciting a contented sigh from her lips. He kissed the soft skin behind her ear and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.  
"Don't be, God, Jim don't be." She muttered and faced him. "I love you. I'll love you no matter who you're friends with or who is a guest in our home. I'll love you for the rest of eternity."  
"Even if I don't always pick up my laundry?" He joked.  
"Even if you don't always pick up your laundry," she giggled into his chest.

* * *

Later on, four glorious love making sessions later, he looked over at her sleepily.

The moonlight shined in from the huge window and it shined on her face like a searchlight, illuminating her in this pale glow that turns her a golden color. He traces up her spine slowly and presses a kiss to her forehead.

He would never let a friend get between them ever again.


	6. Homecoming

**A/N: Is it just me or is the ghost hotter than hell? Maybe he's just my type with the long hair and soulful voice lol.**

 **Enjoy everyone! xx Mariah**

* * *

Jim remembered when he and Melinda first looked at their house, and how his fiance at the time cringed at the word fixer-upper. It was a two story, three bedroom and two bath house with dull yellow siding that Melinda hated, but grew to love after they bought it.

Fixing up a place was not either of their first choices. They didn't have much time together as it is and fixing a house up would make that time even smaller. But they both promised to keep an open mind.

The first thing they saw was the staircase which Melinda adored (minus a few broken steps and railing) because of all of the wall space along it. Next, was the kitchen which was very dated appliance wise and needed a lot of work. Third, was the dining room which showed promise with gorgeous hardwoods that just needed to be cleaned and a table that (had been left when the previous owners moved) could be refinished and look just a good as a brand new one, Melinda told him. Then came the living room which had terribly stained carpet from years of neglect from either animals or human messes, but Jim could tell that the hardwoods from the dining room continued on.

"I like it." Melinda said quietly as they climbed the stairs. "It wouldn't be a lot of work, just some minor cosmetic issues and heating, electrical and plumbing."  
"It could get expensive with those last three," he retorted and helped steer her away from a broken step.  
"We could have an expert come look at it before we put an offer down," she replied as they walked toward the master suite. "We could do that right?"  
"Of course!" The realtor said as we took a look around the master. "I could have someone here tomorrow to look at the place for you."

It was a big space and had his an her closets along with an on suite that needed a little bit of work, but had an antique tub that Melinda went gaga for.

"I'll help you with the renovations," she whispered in his ear as she looked down at the antique tub.  
"You say that now, but in the winter months when its freezing in here and you regret the decision..." He sighed.  
"Jim, we can do it." She reassured him.  
"Alright, let's put an offer down." He smiled down at her. "But only after an expert looks at the place first."  
"Deal," she whispered and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

And now, she wanted to sell. At least, he thought she did. She'd seemed ecstatic at the price they could sell their home for, not that they money didn't sound good, but after all the work they done to make this house their home . . . he didn't want to.

He wanted to bask in the glory of knowing they'd fixed this house up. That they made this place a beautiful home with their own hands.

But he'd do anything his wife wanted, and this seemed to be what she wanted to do, so he'd do it for her.

* * *

Five hundred to six hundred thousand dollars is what Andrea's brother said they could sell their house for. That's more money then she ever imagined.

If they could sell this place for that much, why shouldn't it be an option? She loved their home, but if they could make a profit of that much and have a much better, bigger, and finished house... it had to be an option.

Jim was right, she had gotten sick of having to fix everything up. He was always worried about whether the windows worked or if they pipe would knock rust in and turn their water red for a few seconds rather than spending time with her.

Married six weeks, and their house was a bigger priority than her.

Not that she cared if he worked on the house, she does want a finished house, but she wanted her husband to herself. She didn't want to have to worry if they lights would come on every time she turned on the switch or if they needed the space heater because the furnace was acting up again.

But she loved the look on her husband's face every time he could say that he'd fixed it, and she loved their little fixer-upper.

They could make a lot of money if they flipped it, but that doesn't mean they should.

But Jim wanted too, and that's what he'd said to her just after Mitch and Andrea left, then she'd do it for him.

* * *

She made sure Sybil was comfortable on the couch before running upstairs to change. It was freezing tonight, must be another furnace mishap, another reason they should sell.

"Jim, are you asleep?" She asked and laid on top of him.  
"That depends if you're coming to bed?" He grunted softly and turned his head.

She loved hearing her husband's voice when he was barely awake, especially if it involved her coming to bed. He always sounded so sexy, but half awake sounded even better than normal.

"Oh, I can't stay... we have company downstairs," she rested her head on his back as he stretch subtly, his muscles rippling against her cheek.  
"Living or dead?" He asked.  
"One of each," she answered and kissed his shoulder before starting to get back up.  
"Hey, Mitch called. He said he might have a buy for the house?" He yawned and sat up a little more. "He wants to know if we can have the place ready to be shown next weekend. You okay with that?"  
"So soon?" She asked and pressed her face into his shoulder.  
"Well yeah... I told him you want to move out." He said.  
"Me? You're the one who said we should try and flip it." She exclaimed.  
"Well only because you said you were interested, and now that I know you're not happy here anymore..." He sighed.  
"Not happy?" She gasped.  
"Yeah! You're tired of me always trying to fix things up all the time..." He muttered."  
"Well yeah, I am, but that doesn't mean I want to move." She explained. "I love that the banisters broken, and the doors are crooked and the windows won't stay up because it's our home. I do hate that our furnace is faulty and sometimes the lights flicker, but I don't want to move." She stood up from the bed and grabbed herself a shirt from the clean clothes basket on the floor. "I mean, I know we could make a lot of money if we flip it..."  
"Just because we could, doesn't mean we should." He said and sat up.  
"Hey, I don't care about the money. This is our home." She said and looked at him.  
"Alright, I agree, but then why are we trying to sell it?" He asked.  
"Because we're so stupid in love that we'd do anything to make each other happy," she leaned closer to him.

He leaned in a kissed her briefly before helping her pull on her long-sleeved shirt. He briefly kissed her again.

"Does that mean you'll tell Mitch that we don't wanna sell?" He asked.  
"No. That means I'll get Andrea to tell him for you," she answered.  
"Oh. Right," he said as she kissed him once more.  
"Sleep," she said and pushed him back on the bed and left the room.


	7. Hope and Mercy

**A/N: Episode 7 is definitely one of my fave. I do kind of hate Hope for the reason that she is kind of a bitch to Melinda when she's vulnerable at the hospital before seeing Jim. Like give her, her space! She'll get to you eventually, but i also see why she was so desperate, but whatever lol.**

* * *

An hour ago the sunset had radiated across the cloud, turning it molten orange with bands of pink. Now it was gone and Jim sat under the starless, moonless sky as his wife was probably rubbing soap all over her body. There was no twilight, only blackness. The low sky had became a ceiling of black rock above.

Only the warm wind let him know that he was in the open.

"You coming to softball tonight, man?" Bobby's voice came through the landline clearly after he clicked accept.  
"I am under strict rules to say no to that." Jim answered.  
"Melinda's got you whipped man." Bobby laughed.  
"She's just worried about me, Bob." He explained. "When she saw me in that hospital bed all bandaged up, it scared her, it would scare anyone."  
"Whatever man. Just try and be here next week." Bobby sighed. "We're gonna get our asses handed to us tonight without you. You're the only one of us that knows how to actually get a run."  
"I'll try my best, but no promises." He laughed.  
"Hey, since I have you on the phone. The police were able to ID the John Doe we picked up before the accident." Bobby said. "His name was Julian Borgia. He was  
released from an Ohio prison a week ago, he did seven years for attempted murder."  
"Wow." He said.  
"And it was rumored that from one of his cell mates that he was on his was home to fix his old lady for good." Bobby explained. "He was two miles from her house."  
"Thanks Bobby," he replied.  
"Hey, no problem." Bobby replied. "Have a good night and day off at home with Melinda."

He ended the phone call and placed it on the the table. Just then the front door opened to reveal Melinda, freshly dressed in a robe after her shower, the shoulders were damp from her hair. Her nipples pebbled from the the change in air temp. and he grinned.

She smiled at him and giggled playfully, he returned the same to her and held out his hand which she gleefully held as she sat on his lap.

"That was Bobby," he said.  
"You told him no softball tonight, right?" Melinda asked.  
"I did," he replied "Police ID'd my John Doe. Turns out he was released from prison a week ago in Ohio. Seven years for attempted murder."  
"God," she whispered.  
"Told his cellmate that when he got out, he was gonna find his old lady and fix her for good." He paused as she looked down at him, intently listening to his story. "He was two miles from her house when he crashed his motorcycle, so if I hadn't picked him up or if he recovered-"  
"He might've come back and killed his wife?" She asked.

There was a moment of eerie silence between the couple as they looked down at each other.

It was hard for them to imagine others wanting to kill their spouses, when they were so in love with each other that they could never imagine laying a harmful hand on each other.

"Wow," he sighed.  
"Once again, the cosmic law of french toast." She joked, her laughter echoing in their porch.

She stood up a moment later and held out her hand.

"Come on," she whispered down at him with a grin on her face.

He knew that look.  
He loved that look.

She led him up the stairs and pushed through their bedroom door and turned to face him.

"You scared the hell out of me," she said as he shut the door. "I thought I was gonna lose you."  
"I'm right here," he whispered and held her close.  
"I thought I'd never feel you or see your eyes again." She replied and ran her fingers over the bandage. "I didn't want that morning to be our last, it was amazing, but I can't live without you."

He swooped her up in his arms, his mouth landed on hers as they fell into a heap on the bed. He balanced her on his lap, coaxing her legs astride his hips, and bucked up against her fervently.

"Will you please take it off? Please?" His tone was practically begging, and she could feel him twitch desperately underneath her, despite the layers of clothing separating them.

He nipped at the hollow of her throat and her head fell backwards at the sensation. He always made her feel so irresistible when he's had her in his arms like this.

"Only if you go down on me after all this," she moaned in reply.

He nodded against her neck as his fingertips slowly pulled the tie look. She cupped his face with her palms to pry his lips away from her neck and slanted her mouth over his. She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and suckled it, reveling in the mewl from the back of his throat as she slipped her fingers between their chests to work the buttons loose and pull the two halves of his shirt apart. She felt him throw the robe aside, leaving her completely nude.

He seemed to finally decide to take her swollen and aching puckered nipple into his mouth (his specialty) as she reached down to work her hand underneath to unzip his jeans and expose his swollen member.

She reminded herself to never be ungrateful for him, that she could've easily been made a widow after that accident. She'd thanks God up and down a million times for bringing her husband back to her safe and sound, because not many people got that.

He picked her up with a grip under her ass and scooted her forward so the tip of his erection brushed against her already seeping opening. She relaxed her clenched thighs and sunk down around him, whimpering from the incredible way he stretched her as he's buried inside.

"Melinda," she heard him hiss into her breast before he lapped his tongue around it.

She coaxed his shirt the rest of the way off his shoulders and claws at his shoulder blades as he guided her by the curve of her tightly cinched waist, quickly setting a steady and slightly punishing pace. She matched it with a swivel of her hips and a clench of her inner walls, and she grinned in satisfaction as he pried his mouth away so he could toss his head back and growl wantonly.

She set their pace, slowing slightly as his hands traveled up her torso. He leaned his face forward once more and took one of her nipples firmly between his teeth. She cried aloud into the ceiling, her fingers abandoned the toned muscles of his upper back in favor of knotting in the black hair at the base of his neck to pull his face ever closer. He laved his tongue between her breasts and suckled the other nipple for a split second before it drops from his mouth with a loud pop.

"Melinda… Mel, ah… I love you," he groaned, and buried his face into the crook of her neck as she continued to writhe and buck on top of him.

Her fingers tugged a bit too hard on his hair at his words, and if not for his arm around her waist and hand on her ass to guide her movements and keep up their rhythm, she might have frozen in place and just kissed him.

She didn't have the head-space to revel in his words, though - not when she could feel the tip of him brush that sweet spot inside her that sent her hurdling towards the sky. She clung to his neck and buried her face in his hair. She panted hard as he murmured how close he is; she nodded, keening that she was, too. He twined his hand in her own tresses and arched her head down to him, claiming her mouth roughly as they shouted out their near-simultaneous releases.

She shifted uncomfortably in his lap after she caught her breath. She leaned forward and swept her lips against his mouth before saying, quite matter-of-factly, "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

He quickly shifted her onto her bed and kissed her deeply.

When Melinda pulled away, all too soon for his liking, she grinned back at him and there was a curious glint in her eyes. She lowered herself slowly onto her back and when her thighs fell open, baring all of her to him, he saw that she was dripping wet at her center in his semen.

His eyes then raked over the column of her neck, taking in the way her collarbone jutted out from her skin, the curves of her breast, the dip of her bellybutton…he couldn't decide on where to begin. He wanted to explore every bit of her all at once and the slight haziness that still lingered from the moonshine made his head spin. He settled on the crevice just below her right breast; something about it just called for him to trace it with his tongue.

She inhaled a sharp breath as he did, working his way up to her nipple where he circled it once before sucking it into his mouth and rolling it between his flat of his tongue and the roof of his mouth. The soft whimpers that he heard from above sent his confidence soaring and he decided to test the waters to see how much he could get away with tonight. He bit down gently and tugged the pert bud between his teeth, flicking the tip ever so slightly. The way her back arched off the bed told him she definitely liked that.

He quickly shifted his attention to lavish her other breast before he replaced his mouth with his hands and trailed slow, deliberate kisses down her stomach to her navel. When he looked up to gauge her reaction, she was staring back down at him, her doe brown eyes captivated by his every move, egging him on to see how far he'd go. It was a challenge he'd take on any day. Their eyes remained locked in a heated stare as he continued to lower his face further and further down her body until his chin brushed up against her folds.

He pulled back slightly and took a deep, steadying breath as he assessed her face.

She looked breathtaking.

A few wet strands of hair stuck to the side of her face, and her skin glowed, still beaded with perspiration, he smiled. He'd done that to her.

As though sensing his hesitation, Melinda carefully lowered her head down to the pillows and turned her head slightly to peer back at him. One of her hands came to rest between her thighs, her fingers poised over the area he so desperately wanted to explore with his mouth.

"Watch," she commanded quietly as her other hand migrated up her stomach to rest on one of her breasts.

Jim inhaled sharply when she grasped the mound of flesh and began kneading it, gently at first, working her taut nipple between her fingertips and tugging slightly. His eyes dropped to between her thighs where he watched her middle and index fingers disappear between her folds, dipping into the glistening wetness that had collected there.

His tongue jutted out from the corner of his mouth as she spread her arousal up to her hooded cleft, separating her folds with her fingertips just enough for him to catch a glimpse of her center. Not that he needed an anatomy lesson. He knew well enough where he needed to focus his attentions if he hoped to get Melinda off, again.

He knew his wife like the back of his hand.

The image of the way her facial features contorted and the primal sounds that escaped her lips as she worked herself would be branded into his mind forever.

No longer wanting to sit back and let her bring herself to completion, he leaned forward, sliding his palms up the inside of her calves.

He had to taste her.

Once he reached her knees, her hand fell away from her center and she dropped her legs open even more to the side. She groaned as he lowered his face just mere inches away from her, his breath ghosting over her skin, which caused her to squirm beneath him. The warmth and heady scent of her arousal invaded his senses, and he felt his head get foggy as he reveled in it. When he looked back up her body, he found that she was watching him intently, both hands at her breasts as she rolled and tugged at her nipples.

Fuck, he'd dream about this every night he had a late shift, for the rest of his life. He was sure of it. With a wicked grin, Melinda tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and wiggled her hips enticingly in front of his face. Jim finally allowed himself to lean in and place an open mouthed kiss to her inner thigh, just shy of where she was dripping from her folds. He placed another kiss, and then another and another, as he slowly worked his way towards her center.

He wanted to tease her.

To make her beg him for it.

He wanted her to want this as much as he did.

"Jim, please," she said with a breathy moan as he brushed his lips against her entrance.

The sound of his name on her lips, needy and wanton, stroked his ego and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his smug face.

Then his mouth was on her, mimicking his usual steady rhythm, alternating between circling her center and flicking it rapidly back and forth with the tip of his tongue. Her hips bucked against his face and he had to wrap his arms around her thighs in an attempt to restrain her. Last thing he needed was a broken nose from his over enthusiastic wife while he was going down on her.

Although a story like that would guarantee him bragging rights for life with his co-workers.

He felt her legs start to tremble and her breathing shallow as he continued to work her over with his tongue, dipping the tip of it into her heated core when her fingertips curled into his hair. The muscles of his neck and back were starting to protest from the awkward position he was in, but he couldn't care less; he was a man on a mission.

When she began to mutter a mix of curse words and his name under her breath, her hips rolling in tandem with his face, he knew she was close. He released his hold from one of her thighs and as he began to ease two fingers in and out her in time with the flickering of his tongue against her bundle of nerves.

Her head shot up and she panted, "Yes! Oh god yes! Jim..."

Her walls contracted around his finger and he greedily sucked her center into his mouth as a flood of warmth radiated from her center. She collapsed onto the bed, her head hitting it hard with a loud thud and Jim looked up at her in concern, but she just waved him off and laughed. He watched her as a lazy grin tugged at the corners of her mouth and he crawled back up to her face, pressing kisses along the way.

She laid there motionless, the only indication that she was even still alive was the slight rise and fall of her breasts. He carefully gathered her up into his arms and held her close, cradling her head in his hand and tipping it back slightly to capture her lips in a slow, leisurely kiss.

When she seemed to have regained her composure, Melinda pulled back from his lips and placed one last quick kiss to the corner of his mouth, crinkling her nose as she licked her lips.

"Hmm…I taste funny." She sighed.

Jim couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head in disagreement.

"You taste amazing. In fact, I'm not quite done with you yet." He replied.

Her eyebrows shot up as she released a shaky breath; she obviously wasn't expecting that. But it was true, he wasn't done with her yet, he still wanted to explore every dip and crevice of her body with his hands and mouth and commit them all to memory.

He lowered her back down onto her back and hooked his arms underneath the backs of her knees and tugged her closer to him. When he released her, he leaned down and kissed a little freckle just above her hipbone and she gasped in surprise.

He mentally added it to his every growing list of things that he loved about Melinda Gordon.

He was certain he'd never grow tired of this.

He was just tracing the outer rim of her bellybutton with his tongue, Melinda shot up and her head just narrowly missed hitting his.

"You have to work tomorrow," she reminded him.  
"I have the day off, so lie down because you're in for a long night." He chuckled.


	8. On the Wings of a Dove

**A/N: Is it just me or is anxious Jim hotter than hell? He just has this dark presence about him this entire episode and it's very intriguing. I know it's not him and he's being tampered with by a ghost, but it's still really hot to me for some reason lol.** **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda grasped a nearby throw pillow and hid her face in it as the movie began to scare her more.

Jim came to the doorway and looked at the tv and the back at her, his body was dripping wet as he stood there in nothing but a yellow towel.

His muscles twitched in both of his pecks and his mouth formed a rigid grimace. With arms folded tightly across his broad chest he tapped his foot and all the while he stared out of the grimy window and the rainy night.

"What's the matter?" She asked and looked over at him.  
"I'm gonna... I'm just gonna lock up." He said and turned to leave. "Watch the movie, I'll be right back."

She turned back to watch the movie and felt the presence of something and looked back and saw nothing but the empty hallway, brushing it off as just paranoia from the horror film she looked back to the screen and screamed when she saw the alien, and ducked her face into the pillow quickly.

After Jim checked all the windows and doors, Jim took the stairs quickly and saw Melinda still hidden in the pillow. He'd heard her scream, but just assumed the movie had frightened her, she was easily scared by almost everything in the horror genre.

"You okay?" He asked and sat next to her.  
"Turn it off," she muttered and he flicked off the tv.  
"Better?" He bent down and cupped her cheek, finally smiling at her.  
"Yeah... I'm fine," she laughed. "I need to take a break from the horror genre."  
"Want to watch a comedy to make you feel better?" He said and walked toward hid closet.

She watched him as he dressed himself for bed, settling for just his boxers before climbing in next to her.

"Is it just me or does the house seem eerie tonight?" He asked softly.  
"Yeah, it does." She whispered and looked out the window, the rain had lessened and the full moon could be seen. "Probably the full moon."  
"Yeah... probably." He sighed. "I had a long day."  
"Me too," she replied and rested her head on his chest.

She closed her eyes as his fingers combed through her hair peacefully and he brought his lips to her temple gently.

"Goodnight," she yawned as he flicked off the light, the moon illuminating the room. "I love yo...u.."  
"I love you too," he whispered as she fell asleep on his chest.

 **~x~**

A few hours passed and Jim still stared at the ceiling, the overall sense of someone watching him and his wife loomed in the air.

Melinda had long since rolled over and her back faced him as he pressed a kiss into her shoulder.

What was wrong with him? He's never felt like this... maybe Melinda had rubbed off on him too much. Maybe someone... something was watching him and she hadn't noticed yet. Maybe he was just going crazy.

Melinda moaned in her sleep as she rolled over fitfully and scrunched her nose slightly. Ner neckline drooped and her nipples peeked out from under the fabric. He quickly reached over to fix the wardrobe malfuctntion and she stirred once more.

"You still awake?" She murmured to Jim, her eyes still closed.

She placed her hand on his thigh and rubbed it softly. The contact, although innocent, was enough to make him twitch uncomfortably in his boxers.

"What's really the matter Jim?" She asked and sat up.  
"I don't... know." He sighed and rubbed his eyes.  
"Is it me? Am I doing something wrong?" She whispered and looked over at him. "Are you losing your love for me?"  
"No, God no, Mel." He reassured her. "I just had a really stressful day that's all. I think that's it."  
"Well I can do something about that," she replied and ran her tongue across her lips slowly.

She slid her hands over Jim's strong shoulders and broad chest. She ran her finger down his breastbone and through the scattered black hair across it, grinning at the pebbled skin left in her wake. He leaned back against the pillows, causing his entire torso to break out in gooseflesh, including his now hardened nipples. She took one turgid peak into her mouth, sucking it between her lips before running the tip of her tongue across his flesh.

"Melinda…" He sighed at the contact.

His hand ran his hands through her chocolate tresses as her hands trailed down his chest, her fingertips tickled the sensitive skin of his ribs before dipping down into the dark green boxer briefs to stroke the thick bulge.

Melinda looked up at Jim with a wicked gleam in her eye, which he met with a hopeful one of his own. He exhaled in pleasure as she hooked her fingers around the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down as well as the comforted, and freed his straining erection from its fabric prison.

She took him in her hands and leaned in to take him between her lips.

"Fuck…" he breathed as she circled the tip with her tongue, paying special attention to the sensitive patch of skin just underneath.

She took him deeper into her warm, wet mouth, then sucking as hard as she can as she pulled her head back. Jim groaned at the sensation as she sped up her rhythm, alternating between taking him deep into her throat and running the flat of her tongue along it.

She released him before and quickly removing her nightgown. His mouth drools at the sight of her breasts, their dusky nipples just begging for his fingers and mouth, but she bats his hands away when he tried to reach for her.

"No. Don't worry about me; this is all about you right now." She told him as she resumed her prior position.

This time though, her legs were spread, giving him a glimpse of the his ultimate desire.

His head rolled back against the headboard with a thud as she took him back into her mouth. He felt a tingle at the base of his spine, signaling the end was near, and tried to think of something, anything to prolong this experience. His efforts proved to be in vain once he looked down and realized that while Melinda's mouth had been occupied, her hands had been tending to other matters. She had a breast in one hand, the thumb and forefinger kneading her nipple, while the other hand is furiously slid between her silky folds, centering all of the attention on the hidden jewel of nerves.

"Oh holy… I'm gonna come." He warned her, giving her ample time to move away but instead she took the hand from her breast and began to pump him in tandem with her mouth.

Her eyes closed in ecstasy as her orgasm ripped through her body and her muffled moans vibrated along him, sending him speeding into an intense orgasm.

She accepted every drop of his release, before licking him clean. He reached down and grabbed the hand she'd been using to pleasure herself, pulling her to his chest before sucking her fingers into his mouth, reveling in the taste of her essence.

"Let me..." He groaned and tried to move her onto her back.  
"Sleep," she murmured and kissed his chest.

She rested ehr head in the crook of his arm and closed her eyes.

He listened and quickly was able to fall asleep, soon after, she peered up at him.

To say she was worried was only the half of it. Jim was never like this.

 _Tomorrow will be better,_ she thought and let sleep claim her once again.

* * *

The next day proved Melinda's theory to be incorrect.

He was acting even stranger.

He _loved_ her homemade lasagna, it was the only she could make and not burn. But today he barely ate, only picking at the cheese and a few bites of salad.

She watched him with worry and bit her tongue. He was fine, probably just another stressful day at work.

Cold sweat glistened on his furrowed brow. With one hand clasped tightly into a fist and resting on the table, the only gripped his fork forcefully and dragged it across the plate, screeching unpleasantly.

She pushed another bite into her mouth and chewed slowly while she watched him, his eye focused on the plate.

He suddenly glanced up at her and loosened his grip.

"Did you say something?" He asked absent-mindedly.  
"Me? No," she answered and smiled softly at him. "I ran into-"  
"Do you tell me-" He interrupted her and the paused. "Sorry. Go ahead."  
"No. You," she said cheerfully. "Do I tell you...?"

There was a moment of silence between them as he formed his words in his head.

"Do you always tell me, you know, when you see spirits? Or are there so many of them that you don't even mention it?" He asked.  
"Door number two," she laughed and looked down at her plate.  
"I don't know how you deal with that," he said and twirled the fork between his calloused fingers.  
"I just factor it all in, and move on. I guess I'd go crazy if I didn't." She said and collected herself another bite of food.  
"Is there someone here now?" He asked.

She looked around to room and then back to him.

"No," she answered and smiled at him.  
"Are you sure?" He asked softly.  
"Jim what's going on?" She asked. "First you couldn't sleep last night and now you're acting weird again. Is something bothering you?"

He raised his wine glass and took a sip before placing it back down and twirling his thumb around the edge.

"Ok. I don't if it's just because of how much time I spend with you, you know, if it's rubbing off on me. But lately I've been having these feelings." He explained to her.  
"What kind of feelings?" She asked and looked at him.  
"Like we're being watched, and when it happens I'm flooded with this sense of anxiety or despair." He explained and gripped the wine glass. "It's like I'm in the presence of something..." He laughed and raised his wine glass to his mouth once more, finishing it. "Talk about going crazy..."  
"Why? Has something already happened?" She questioned.  
"You know it's probably just nerves." He sighed. "I'm fine. Do you want some more?"

He pushed out his chair and grabbed his wine glass and plate.

"No," she answered quietly as he left the room.

She watched him as he looked back at her and studied her momentarily before disappearing into the kitchen.

What was happening to them? We're they going to be the next happy couple turned tragedy?

The sad part was, she didn't know.


	9. Voices

**A/N: I kind of liked Ellis, he treated Jim's mother Faith really nicely. I wish Jim had given him more of a chance rather than being so judgemental of him at first. I guess that's how Jim is, he asks questions and is protective before letting people in. Oh well :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

The day was chilly, the sun was shining high in the sky and the grass was beginning to green, but very chilly.

She rushed into the house with two large paper grocery bags and kicked the door closed with the heel of her boot.

"Hello! Is there a handsome paramedic in this house?" She called cheerfully to him as she walked into the kitchen.

She pressed on the landline machine as she walked past it, it let her know there were four messages. After setting down the paper bag, she began to take off her green scarf.

"Your dry cleaning is ready," a young man said and then came a beep.  
"Hey it's Andrea. You were right about that estate sale in Lake Mont." Andrea said and then came a beep. "Give me a call."  
"Jim, it's Tommy. Can you take the four to twelve shift next Tuesday?" Jim's co-worker said and the messaged switched.

It went to a static message with the sound of a woman moaning. She had just put the milk and eggs into the fridge and she closed the fridge, walking over and taking the phone off the dock and pressing it to her ear.

"Hey," Jim said and wrapped his arms around her suddenly.

Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped before turning around and facing him.

"Can you hear that?" She asked and he grabbed the phone from her.

She pressed her hand to the top of her head.

It was always the same, a crushing pain in the middle of her head, throbbing between her eyes. It made her vision spin. It made her want to pace about, she couldn't sit, couldn't lie down or relax. One eye would water on the painful side and her nose would itch.

She hated it.

"Barely, but yeah." He said and ended the message before putting it down. "You okay?"  
"Yeah, I just have a headache all of a sudden." She whispered.

He gave her a brief kiss and cupped both of cheeks.

"It'll be alright," he reassured her.

The was a knock at the door and the both turned to look at it.

Faith must be here.

"You get a headache and my mother arrives. Interesting." He said.

She laughed in return at his joke and took a shaky breath in before smoothing out her dress shirt. She hadn't seen Faith in months, she was excited.

Jim opened the door and Faith opened her arms to embrace her son.

"Hi! I'm so happy to see you, my dear." Faith said giving him a pat on the back.  
"It's great to see you mom," he said and smiled at her.  
"Melinda, darling..." Faith smiled.  
"Hi," she said and gave her a big hug.

A man set down Faith's bags and Jim gave him ten dollars.

"Here you go man. Thank you," he said and grabbed her bag, closing the door.  
"Jim! You just tipped my friend Ellis." Faith gasped.

Melinda covered her mouth to hide her smile and laughter, of course Jim did that. Faith opened the door and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry. Ellis Conway," Faith said and introduced him. "This is my son, Jim."  
"Hiya there Jimmy," Ellis said and shook his hand.  
"And this is my beautiful daughter in-law, Melinda." Faith said.  
"Melinda, I've heard a lot about you," Ellis said and shook her hand as well.  
"Nice to meet you," she said softly.  
"Well, I've got another bag to get. I'll be right back." Ellis said and ran down the steps to their rental car.  
"Ain't he sweet?" Faith asked.  
"Who is he?" He asked.  
"Well you know..." Faith said.  
"I don't," he said and took a step to watch him unload the last bag.  
"Well he's my... ummm... well boyfriend is just ridiculous. He's my special friend," Faith explained.

Melinda held in her laughter and Jim looked between the both of them. He was not okay with this. He didn't know this man, hell, his mother didn't probably know him either. He just gave him this feeling, an off feeling about this guy that wasn't very good.

"Boyfriend? Mom, you didn't mention this." He replied.  
"Didn't I? Melinda you look wonderful!" Faith exclaimed  
"And Faith, you're just glowing!" She cheered.  
"Mom?" He asked.  
"Jim, please, don't be boring about this. I'll explain more later." Faith said.  
"What a fantastic house!" Ellis exclaimed as he walked up the steps with his bag. "Your mother said you two did all the improvements yourself."  
"We did. Great, I got these." He said and grabbed all the bags.  
"Thanks," Ellis said and went over to Faith, wrapping his arm around her waist.  
"Thank you, darling." Faith said.  
"Okay, well, anyone hungry?" She asked.

They all walked into the kitchen happily as Jim watched from the stairs and then went to put their bags in separate rooms.

* * *

After lunch they were all sat in the living room.

Melinda snuggled up against Jim's side and Faith and Ellis explained how they met.

He was installing her new alarm system when he ended up hurting himself and Faith helped him clean up. How cute.

Waves of heat coursed through Melinda's body, a cold sweat glistened on her face. Her eyes sunken and her skin clammy, everything ached. She squeezed Jim's hand and pressed her sweaty forehead to his shoulder.

"You okay?" He whispered.  
"No..." She replied.

Her stomach fluttered and she groaned softly, causing Faith to look over.

"I need to go to the bathroom," she muttered.

She stood up and walked slowly toward the staircase, gripping the banister.

"Excuse me," Jim said, he jumped up and picked her up just before she fell over. "I've got you."  
"Is she alright?" Faith gasped and walked over.  
"She'll be fine. She just got a little light headed," he said and start to climb the stairs. "I'll be right back."

He climbed the stairs and walked into their room and straight toward the master bath. After setting her near the toilet, her stomach lurched and she emptied her stomach into the bowl. He rubbed her back softly and kissed her shoulder.

"I'll get you a wash cloth," he said and grabbed one off the counter and wet it with cold water.

He pressed it to her to the back of her neck, her skin was hot to the touch and she was shaking.

"Ghosts have never affected you like this..." He whispered and wiped her face.  
"I'll get a hold of this one, I always do. I promise," she shivered.  
"Are you sure it's this ghost?" He asked.  
"I am," she nodded.  
"I want you to go and get checked out at the doctor just to make sure," he said and kissed her cheek. "For me?"  
"For you," she whispered.  
"Thank you," he said and rubbed her back.

She leaned into his arms and her head began to throb again, her body shuddered and not in a good way. She just wanted to lie down, just for a little bit to rest her eyes, and suddenly took on a pale look, as if she'd been painted with whitewash - even her lips were barely there. Then with one slow intake of breath she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released of their strings into her husband's arms.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open and she was in a hospital room. Nurses hovered over her and probed her with needles and other instruments.

"Jim... where's Jim?" She groaned and her head throbbed.  
"Who's Jim?" A nurse asked.  
"My husband... where is he?" She asked.  
"Is your husband the man who brought you in?" The nurse asked.  
"I-I think so..." She muttered. "I need him."  
"Well Melinda we can't do that, not yet." The nurse answered. "You'll see him soon. Do you feel any pain?"  
"My head..." She moaned, and not in a good way.  
"No, no pain medication." The doctor said quietly. "I think she's pregnant. All the signs point there."  
"Alright Melinda, we're going to give you an ultrasound." The nurse relaid the information.  
"My husband... not with without him." She said and tried to sit up.  
"Go get him," the doctor said.  
"But-" The nurse stuttered.  
"Go," the doctor ordered. "He'll be right in here, Mrs. Clancy."

She nodded slowly and closed her eyes. She needed him to be here.

The door opened and she saw her husband, towering over everyone in the room.

"Mel," Jim raced to her side and grabbed her hand. "The nurse said something about an ultrasound."  
"Where were you?" She whispered.  
"They put me in the waiting room," he said and kissed her sweaty forehead. "You scared me. You just knocked out and you wouldn't open your eyes or move. I thought I was gonna lose you."  
"Never," she whispered and smiled at him softly.  
"This is going to be cold," the doctor told her as he pulled up her shirt, and squirted the gel onto her stomach.

What if this wasn't the ghost, what if she was pregnant.

She tried to think of when it would have happened. It could've been any day really, they made love so much, almost every day.

With Jim's child, it scared her. the thought of having a child and him or her having her gift. They could barely handle her gift some days, how would they handle a little one running around with it, but Jim's face lit up at the word ultrasound.

He would be so happy to have a child, so happy. And she would too, in time. He would help her, they could do it. They definitely could.

"What if you are..." He said and looked at her as the machine slowly turned on.  
"I don't know," she replied.  
"I have to know if this happens that I won't lose you," he explains.  
"You won't," she reassures him. "I promise."

He kissed her lips softly as the sound of Melinda's heartbeat came through the machine. The doctor moved the wand around and she looked at the screen.

"Is there a baby in there?" He asked and squeezed her hand.  
"Nope. No baby," the doctor said and clicked the machine off.

She felt relieved, and guilty for feeling relieved. She should've felt happy for herself, for Jim. Any woman would at thought of having a child with their husband, but she didn't. She was always scared of the topic, of the thought of having a child.

She knew one day that she'd feel different. She hoped she would.

"I don't know what caused you to feel sick." The doctor explained. "But if you promise me to take it slow and get some rest, and Jim make sure she does this. I can let you go home tonight."  
"I will," she reassures he doctor and fixes her top before sitting up.  
"Then you are free to go," the doctor says signing her discharge papers.

Jim helped her up and gave her a quick kiss.

"Let's get you home. I left my mom and Ellis there all alone," he said as she pulled on her shoes.  
"Ooh what if they are gettin' it on." She joked and then laughed.

That cheered her up real quick. She loved to mess with Jim.

"That's not funny," he muttered.  
"It is," she laughed.  
"I'm going to leave you here overnight if you don't knock it off," he joked.  
"I would send you divorce papers if you did that." She replied and whacked his chest lightly.  
"No you wouldn't," he smiled and kissed her. "But let's get going because now I think they are gettin' it on."  
"They so are," she laughed as they walked out the emergency room entrance.

Jim sent a glare her way and she laughed and then rubbed her forehead in pain as they got into his truck and drove toward home.


	10. Ghost Bride

**A/N: Melinda was so jealous about Stephanie this entire episode *laughs*. That's all I've got to say lol. Enjoy!**

* * *

Jim began to put away the condiments from dinner as Melinda cleaned off the stove.

Tonight had been a quiet night, barely any words had been spoken between the pair since they both got home and ate dinner together, which was definitely odd.

"Oh! I'm gonna have to switch with Bobby and work the graveyard shift tomorrow. Is that gonna be alright?" Jim asked and closed the fridge.

There was no answer from his wife, she just scrubbed away at the grime on the stove and sighed. He decided to walk over toward her.

"Melinda...?" He whispered in her ear.  
"You and Stephanie, do you email each other a lot?" She asked absentmindedly while she cleaned the stove.  
"Why?" He asked, she stared at him and he thought over his next words. "No. Once every couple of months."  
"Can I ask you to stop?" She asked.  
"Why?" He asked softly.  
"Can I ask you to do something without there being a reason?" She answered.  
"Yes, you can. I'm just not sure where this is coming from." He replied.  
"You're not?" She laughed uneasily. "You are emailing your genius ex-girlfriend who just so happens to be searching for a new father for her kids. Am I supposed to be okay with that?"  
"No, but it just seems..." He said and she turned around and glared at him. "Like a perfectly normal request. I'll do it."?  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
"Honey, I've got to say... you seem to be channeling some weird ghost energy?" He replied.  
"It's not always about ghosts Jim," she mutters and goes to put the sponge in the sink.

She walked swiftly out of the kitchen, leaving him confused.

What did he do?

He followed her as she marched upstairs, only stopping to lock the door and kick off his shoes, before resuming his trek behind her. He heard the shower come on and he smiled as he shed his shirt and pants by his closet.

It was really hard to function when Melinda was irritated at him, she always looked so incredibly sexy when she was mad, which usually mean he would have a constant hard-on. And that wasn't easy either.

She was always so damn insufferable, but now it was even worse since he decided to go and bring up Stephanie and how they would email once and awhile. He didn't see the harm. It was just pictures of her kids, Jim had even once set a few of him an Melinda's wedding shots and she even sent her congratulations back.

He walked into the bathroom and began to brush his teeth and glanced over at the fogged glass shower, the outline of her woman figure could clearly be seen. He could see thing he hadn't felt in a while.

She'd been so busy with fitting Lisa's dress and making sure everything was perfect for her girlfriend's day that making love was the last thing on her mind.

"I'm not in the mood," she said softly as she stepped out of the shower. "Not tonight."

She wrapped a towel around herself and grabbed the hairbrush. Combing through her hair slowly she pulled her hair into a low braid and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"Goodnight," she whispered against his skin and rubbed his back softly.  
"Are you still mad?" He asked.

She didn't answer as she walked out of the bathroom and toward her closet.

That answered his question.

"Isn't there a rule against not going to bed angry," he said as he put his toothbrush in the cup.

He watched as she undressed and then redressed herself. Theyr eyes locked for a moment as she walked past him to brush her teeth.

"So are you just going to ignore me?" He asked.  
"I have nothing to say," she answered and wet her toothbrush. "I'm irritated that you can't see why I wanted you to stop, and that you automatically assumed it was only because of ghosts and not because my feelings were hurt. I never feel like I'm good enough for you, I always second guess myself and whether or not you will love me forever. Everyone always asks how quirky little Melinda got this handsome paramedic to fall in love with her, and the answer is that I do not know how I... how you fell in love with me."

She scrunched her nose up in irritation.

Melinda sucked in her breath and pulled her hands up to her chest. Her heart beat with such fierceness she thought it may explode as a multitude of memories of lives they shared flooded her thoughts.

She saw them meeting for the first time, the way he kissed her for the first time. She remembered the way he looked when she said her vows. Intensely, she recalled them making love that night, how tightly he held her to him and vowed his love to her as he kissed her all over. Memories flashed through her mind with extreme speed.

And then she saw them fighting, screaming at each other over God knows what.

She turned around and began to harshly brush her teeth. After she finished, she turned around to face him and bit her lip.

"Do you have anything to say or can I go to bed?" She asked softly.

Jim blinked and his lips collided with hers. He tasted like… mint and red wine.

All of her anger just melted away as he pulled her close. He'd been turned on since the moment she ran up the stairs. But when she stepped out of the shower, he swelled up so hard, so quickly that he thought he'd died if he didn't get a release quick.

He needed her. He wanted her. He ached for her.

"I'll love you until the day I die," he said picking her up into his arms. "Not even that, I'll love you even when I die. I'll love you when I'm a ghost and crossover. I'll love you until there is no me, including ghost form and all. Don't you see how much I love you? How much I ache for you every single day?" He breathed in her scent as they fell onto the bed. "It's killing me, Mel. It's killing me that you don't believe or know how I fell in love with you. That you doubt my love for you and think that I would ever leave you for someone. Yes, there are women who are prettier, sexier, and more normal than you are. But you know what makes them go down a step and make you number one? Your heart, your intelligent mind, and your gift and how you help people in their darkest moments." He pressed a kiss to her lips. "What I feel for you is so much more than just love and for the past few minutes I've been trying to figure it out. I've been trying to figure out why there isn't some other word to describe it. I want to tell you exactly how I feel but there isn't a single goddamned word in the entire dictionary that can describe this point between loving you and being addicted to you, but I need that word. I need it because I need you to hear me say it loud and clear."

The dim light that shined in through the window reflected off of Jim's body, illuminating his face. His eyes, heavily lidded, looked down on her between kisses. His arms enveloped her, pulled her closer, kept her safe. Her hands roamed his body further. The taut muscles in his stomach tighten under her hand with the shuddering moans that poured from his lips.

Soon they shed every piece of clothes and he was deep inside of her. His moans changed with his movements. Slow advances coupled with breathy gasps change to audible groans and deep, plunging thrusts.

Her name fell from his lips. She answered, murmuring his name against his neck, eliciting a longer, rumbling howl that vibrated through his chest.

The way he filled her, pushing deeper with every movement of his hips made her feel delirious. She clawed at his skin, desperate for contact, wrapping her legs around him and pulled him in further. Her hand grazed the curve of his ass. Gripping it tightly, she was pushed over the edge.

She spasmed around his length, her entire being shook as he rocked her to paradise. She forced him to the brink with a simple cry of his name, her nails dug into his shoulders as she cried his name over and over again, shaking the whole house as they made love to each other.

He kissed her neck fervently while she held him there, never to let go.

"I love you more than life," he panted. "More than I ever loved anybody in my whole life."  
"I know," she whimpered. "I'm sorry. For everything, for yelling and being such a cold hearted bitch. I should have never treated you like that."  
"Mel, I deserved it. I was an ass, I didn't see how I hurt you with such a simple action, but now I do." He explained. "I don't deserve you."  
"You deserve more than you know," she reassured him.

Before she fell asleep, he cupped her face with his strong, calloused hands and pressed his lips to hers. She was expecting a quick peck before rolling over and going to sleep, but it escalated into something more. His tongue traced the seam of her lips to which she happily obliged, he deepened the kiss and she felt the heat seep out between her legs once more.

"Again?" He groaned, his fingers traced over her pebbled nipples.  
"Again," she whispered and pulled his lips back to hers.

* * *

Her back was all bones and sinews, her skin dusky in the morning light that filtered through the curtains. Her raven-colored braid fished across her shoulders like a frayed rope; the prickly strands still tickled his palm as he recalled the feel of that braid from the night before, gripped tightly in his hand as he took her from behind during the second round.

Jim rolled closer, splaying his body over top of hers. His fingers found her hair, trailing down the disheveled plait to the ends, where he tugged lightly before releasing. He pressed a kiss between her shoulder blades, his lips ghosting down the slope of her spine slowly. Melinda finally stirred, squirming ever so slightly with a soft sigh. His lips spread into a smile as he moved his mouth lower, pushing the sheets out of the way to reveal the dip of her lower back.

There, he settled, finding the birthmark she hated, outlining with his tongue the ridged boundary that demarcated her old skin from the new, until she was pushing up against his mouth.

"Jim," she breathed, beckoning, and he kissed his way back to her shoulders, his tongue touching every mark, freckle, scar and blemish in its path.  
"Yes, love?" he murmured into her hair, and she twisted underneath him until he fell between her thighs, opening them so he could push into her at her unspoken plea.

They moved together languidly, their hips met in a familiar greeting until they unraveled together, their bodies just bones and sinews.

* * *

 **A/N: I hate that this isn't over 2k, but the ending is just the way I wanted it to be :) See you all next time** **xx Mariah**


	11. Shadow Boxer

**A/N: I love how Jim had his hand and was just touching her when Tao first entered their home. It was so cute of him :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

She was frustrated that she couldn't get either of De La Costa's to listen to her. Her head pounded and she wasn't in the mood for a self defense class today, even if it meant spending time with her best friend.

"You're going to be at self defense tonight, right?" Andrea asked and Melinda began to pack up her things.  
"Yes. I'm just going to drop this off at my house, stop by and see Jim and then I'll meet you there." Melinda explained. "I'll be there. I promise."  
"Alright," Andrea smiled. "I'll lock up ant seven and meet you there."

She nodded and collected her things before grabbing her coat and walking out the front door.

Melinda didn't make it even halfway to her car before she decided she was going to stop by and see Jim first. She was tired and achy and had an itch she needed her husband to scratch.

She drove over and parked outside the firehouse in minutes and snuck in without Bobby or Tim seeing her to alert Jim.

"Hey Sul, where's Jim?" She asked Sulley, Jim's mentor and boss.  
"He's up in the lounge studying," Sulley grinned. "He's studying for the EMT exam."  
"I thought he passed that last year and didn't have to take it again?" She said and looked up at the lounge door, which was closed.  
"The head of the department is making everyone retake them this year," Sulley explained. "Stupid, I know, but it's just the new protocol that every one retakes it."  
"Well I'm sure he'll pass it no problem like he did last time," she smiled and thought of when he studied for it last year. "All he needs is to pass with an 85% or higher and he aced it last time."

He'd asked her to quiz him, and she made a game out of it.

Every question he got right she would take a piece of her clothing off, and every question he got wrong vise versa.

"That was a fun night," she laughed quietly.  
"What was?" Sulley asked.  
"Oh. Sorry, I was thinking out loud." She replied.  
"Well you know where the lounge is," he said with a smile. "Nice to see you, Melinda. It's been too long since I saw you last, I'm glad you and Jim are doing so well."  
"You too," she replied before turning and heading for the stairs.

She quickly climbed the spiral staircase and adjusted her shirt, unbuttoning her shirt completely as she opened the door. She found him at a desk in the back of room alone and smirked.

This was perfect. Why hadn't she thought about it before?

She closed and locked the door before walking over to him.

"Melinda? What are you doing here?" Jim asked as he turned around to greet her. "Not that I don't love that you're stopping by... looking like this, even better." His eyes fell over her lacy bra and he smiled. "I hope you didn't show them this show you're showing me."  
"I didn't," she laughed as she made her way over to him. "I missed you."

She slipped her arms around his chest, sliding her palms over the muscles in his back, his skin warm through his shirt.

He smiled at her.

"I missed you too. So what brings you by?" He murmured, his lips grazing hers before he slanted his mouth over her own.

Her tongue met his readily, and she sat on him lap up to kiss him harder. His fingers trailed up and down her sides, skimming the swells of her breasts, and she shuddered, moaning into his mouth. She felt him hardening against her thigh.

She wasn't sure what it was about him, but she had never wanted a him in her mouth so badly before. Maybe it was because he so enthusiastically returned the favor (though, was it really "returning" if he did it without prompting)? It didn't hurt that his was the most handsome and biggest she'd ever had the pleasure of being acquainted with.

Her hands moved of their own accord, dropping to the front closure of his work slacks to unfasten them. Jim broke the kiss, exhaling a puff of air as he glanced down.

"What are you doing?" He laughed as he worked her own shirt off and to the floor.

Her nimble fingers slid the zipper down, her mouth following his.

"Do you not want the blowjob?" She breathed against his lips, pushing off his lap to kneel on the ground before him.  
"Well, yeah, but what about the guys downstairs?" He laughed softly; his tone didn't sound concerned at all.

She just pulled his pants and boxer-briefs down to free him. Wrapping her hand around him, she pumped him until he swelled in her grasp completely, then she licked the head deliberately.

"I don't see this guy objecting," she laughed as she glanced up at him.

His head tipped back as he issued a soft groan, and she continued to coat his swollen flesh with her saliva, licking a trail around the ridge, then down to the base and back to his head.

His hand released the pencil to fan through her hair, palming the back of her head, and she opened her mouth to take him in farther. He groaned and buried his hands in her hair and inhaled sharply as he dropped his chin to watch her.

He always liked to watch her.

She tried to maintain eye contact with him as much as possible; his pupils grew fatter, and his nostrils flared, his mouth parting as he breathed deeper, faster. It made her wetter. Hollowing her cheeks, she sucked him harder; her hand pumped the base of his shaft, and her tongue pushed her pooling saliva around him as she bobbed her head.

His eyes were heavily lidded now, and he moaned faintly, guiding the movement of her head with his hand. His head fell back, and he groaned louder.

"Fuck Mel," he hissed, untangling his hand from her hair to grip the table. "Oh Melinda..."

His hips began rocking forward, thrusting himself into her mouth; her hand on his shaft kept him from going too far. She couldn't deep throat him, not yet, not here.

"I'm gonna come," he warned throatily, lost in a haze of euphoria, and his head tipped forward again to watch her; he struggled to keep his eyes open, and she locked gazes with him, her lips wrapped tightly around him as his fist tightened around her hair. "Melinda!"

Her hand gripped him more firmly too, her mouth and fist connecting almost violently as she sucked on him. He came with a grunt, his hips undulating toward her face and he pulsed in her mouth as he emptied himself, and his eyes were squeezed shut, his own lips parted as he gasped for air.

"Melinda," he whispered. "Oh Mel."

Once he was done, she swallowed him and slid him out of her mouth, licking her lips. She helped him tuck himself back into his pants, and then he pulled her to his lap. His cheeks were red, and his blue eyes were glassy, but he smirked at her. She felt her face flush, smiling shyly when he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Now the guys totally heard me," he said wryly, and she laughed.

She shrugged. "Okay, that's fine. They can know I give a mean blowjob." She laughed.

Jim laughed heartily, his arm pulling her tight against his chest, then he flashed her a wolfish grin, raising his eyebrows.

"Sadly, I won't be home until late." He said sadly. "I'll try and not wake you up."  
"Please do," she whispered and kissed him. "I won't mind."  
"Alright. I'll wake you," he winked.  
"Oh will you?" She asked.  
"Yeah. I like dessert," he laughed.  
"Well I better get going home so I can change and go to my self defense class," she explained.  
"Have fun," he smiled at her and gave her another kiss.  
"I'll see you later," she said with a grin before plucking her shirt from the floor. "I love you."  
"I love you too," he grumbled with a pout. "Now get out of here before I decide I don't care about your class and make love to you right now."  
"You can do that when you come home," she replied with a smile before running her fingers through her hair.

She finished buttoning her shit and pulled the door open.

He heard her saying goodbye to the guys on her way out, voice steady and calm, as if she hadn't just given him what she just had in the lounge. He watched her through the window as she walked to her a Jeep and climbed in. When he turned around, Sulley, Bobby and Tim were standing in the doorway.

"Melinda!" Bobby exclaimed. "That was a great podcast man."  
"It really was. I know I don't sound like that when I have sex," Tim laughed.  
"Well we didn't have sex," he said softly and stretched.  
"Okay. Say whatever you want but we all have ears." Sulley said and crossed his arms over his chest.  
"Don't you think you would've heard her?" He laughed.  
"Maybe she's quiet," Tim laughed.  
"She's not," Bobby answered. "I slept on their couch one to many times. They aren't quiet at all."

Jim laughed and grabbed his book.

"She gave him a blowjob," Bobby said. "His zippers half open."  
"Oh shut up guys," he muttered and pushed past them.

They all laughed again and followed him.

He pulled up his zipper and just knew was in for a long night.

* * *

When he got home she was in their bed, dressed in a loose tank top and soft cotton shorts. She wasn't wearing a bra or panties. He closed the door behind him and felt his cock swell.

She's already touching herself, candles lit around her.

She looked positively gorgeous and he couldn't wait to see her writhe beneath him.

He quickly peeled the blue paramedic shirt from his chest, and threw it aside. When he stepped out of his pants and boxers he crawled onto the bed between her legs and pulled her hand away from her center. She made a whining noise of protest but when he spread her legs apart and held them down she moaned, pushing her hips up towards him, straining for him to fill her with himself.

He pulled her shorts down and threw them aside. He took himself in his hand and slapped himself against her center.

She murmured his name in pleasure and chuckled, leaning down to capture her lips in his briefly.

"You want me, don't you?" He grinned.  
"Don't do this to me," she cried out and thrusted her hips up toward him again.

She tossed her leg over his hips and rubbed her core surreptitiously against his erection.

She was positively dripping already.

"What were you thinking about that got you so turned on while you were waiting for me?" He gasped out between feverish kisses, he left a perfect hickey (according to himself) on her collarbone.  
"Everything you've ever done to me and everything I want you to—" She hissed when his mouth latched onto her breast and the insistent rubbing of her core against his halted. "Jim..."  
"What was it you were saying?" He said and then his tongue flicked the little bud in his mouth and he looked up at her coyly before his teeth clamped down a little harder. "What were you thinking about?"

Her eyes were molten but hooded, and her bottom lip was clenched securely between her teeth.

"Everything I want you to do to me..." She gasped as he gripped her hips with his fingertips and pulled her closer.  
"Like what?" He felt her breath come in short gasps as he let her one breast go and teased the other.

A second later her eyes were wide open and staring down at him. Her smile, however, didn't waver.

"Not like this," she said, wiggling her chest for a minute until he let go before she rolled limply away from him and off to his side. He quirked his eyebrow at her when she flipped onto her side with her rear facing his; she arched her neck to look at him and nodded. "This way."

He liked looking at her when they were making love. When his face was between her thighs, her eyes were always open, watching her chest rise and fall, her neck arch up and crash down onto whatever surface he happened to have her laid out on; when he was inside her, he'd stare at her in reverence and adoration as she either moved atop of him or writhes underneath, whichever way he happened to be taking her; even with this latest fixation of hers with sucking him off until his spine turned to gelatin.

He'd still watch her every move.

And he supposed he could still watch her and take her like this—but he wanted to be able to see her face.

"Jim…" she keened after a moment before he made his move.

Her hands reached behind her and grasped for his arms, his side, whatever she can find, scratching her skin roughly as he rolled over and positioned himself behind her. Her thighs spread so her left leg is lifted in the air and his hand traveled down her spine and over the curve of her ass quickly before his fingers dipped into her folds. He could hear her breath hitch in her throat.

"Melinda, I like watching your face…" He whispered into her ear as his fingers slipped deftly through the soft skin so slick with arousal.

Her foot propped itself on his thigh, giving him easier access just before she jutted her hips backward and rubbed against him.

"So listen to me instead. Close your eyes and listen instead," she panted. "I need you like this right now."

He teased her for another second before he obeyed her and closed his eyes.

His already sharp ears picked up a long moan of his name slip past her lips. She over-enunciated every vowel, and her throat hitched again with the M.

Her hips backed up against him to the point him where he slide achingly close to her heated center. He resisted the urge to open his eyes and looked down to where they were so close to being joined, and he felt himself twitch in anticipation.

Another blissful sigh escaped her throat when his hand abandoned her center and closed around her hip bone just before he arched his back and slid inside her.

"Oh, _God Jim_ ," she purred as he thrusted in and out of her shallowly.

Her walls clenched around him every time he pulled backwards, but he was careful not to exit her completely. Apparently he'll never quite find a bad way to make love to her, because she's keening and writhing against him in a way not quite like anytime else.

He heard every hitch of her breath, every sigh, every moan, all in complete clarity with his eyes clamped shut as they were, and he praised himself for his restraint to not use his eyesight anyway like he knew he was able to. Her hand grabbed his thigh for a moment to coax him deeper, and she shouted as soon as the tip of him hit the right spot inside her.

That must be why she wanted hi to take her like this—Christ, why hadn't they done this sooner?

His arms wrapped around her torso possessively and found one breast in each hand. Her head lolled in the crook of his right elbow and he was able to breathe in the scent of her shampoo as his nose was buried in her loose curls.

He smelled his body wash against her skin and smiled. She did miss him, she only did that when she missed the way he smelled and had a long lonely day ahead of her.

The tip of his tongue traced the very top most bony protrusions of her spinal cord, her skin pebbled up underneath the moist trail he left behind.

"Are you— _Christ!—_ are you still listening?" She groaned a minute later as his lips locked onto the curve of her neck into her shoulder blade.

He didn't want to abandon this patch of skin to respond, but he decided to gurgle up a response.

"Mmm," seemed to suffice.  
"I l-love you," she pressed on.  
"I love… you too." He groaned.

Her left hand clamped around his biceps and her toes tickled the side of his thigh.

"Oh God…you're gonna make me come…" She screamed. "Jim... oh Jim."

She pressed her face into the sheets. He leaned forward into his shoulder and his front teeth nipped perhaps a little too harshly on the skin under his mouth. She'd likely have a tiny bruise, hopefully one that her blouse will properly cover so as to not arouse suspicion.

He knew what he needed to do. He sped up the rhythm of his hips, hitting the sweet spot inside her again and again. Her hand slid down to her elbow and her fingernails clawed at his forearm. He'd have scratches there, for sure, her payback.

He pressed up closer to her and chanced a single second of opening his eyes. He saw her jaw open and close as his name fell from her lips.

"Oh, yes! Yes!" She cried again and again. "Jim... oh Jim! I love you."

His eyes fell shut again as he felt his own spine begin to clench and tighten. Their skin slapping together intermixed with her perpetual moaning of his name made him delirious.

"I love you, Melinda..." He groaned into her ear a second before the muscles in his pelvis clenched and he spilled inside her with a grunt.

She shivered against him, her mouth wide open but no sound came from it. His breath was labored against the sweaty skin of the back of her neck, but she made no effort to struggle out of his grasp. In fact, she coaxed his arms around her chest tighter, folding herself into the divot his upper body made for her. He heard her sigh and he returned it when his breathing leveled out.

It could be an hour or an eternity that they lay there, wrapped up in one another. He didn't think either of them cared because they were simply together.

* * *

She ended up underneath him before the next time.

He kissed her deeply as he positioned her beneath him comfortably.

"So far we've raised over five grand for the fire house," he felt her clench against him and remembered he'd never pulled out, grunting softly. "with this fight."  
"I thought you were hoping for a thousand?" She asked.  
"Nah, people in the town..." He pulled her lips to his again. "Are just really turning out for tale. It's great to see."

He kissed her neck softly, leaving another love bite for her to cover in the morning.

Laughing at his work, she returned it with a playful giggle.

"Well I don't want to say I knew it, but did you get his father to talk to him?" He asked.  
"Apparently it only made things worse. He's really hurting," she explained.  
"What is so hard about people just talking to each other? Talk and listen..." He kissed her. "Talk and listen."  
"Was it ever that simple for you and your parents?" She laughed.  
"Okay..." He replied. "We had the talking part down pretty good."  
"Ugh... I don't know. There's something else thought." She explained. "Something they're keeping from me."  
"What do you think it is?" He asked softly.  
"I don't know." She sighed. "Family stuff. Something hard to unravel, not really sure it should be unraveled, at least not by me."

She smiled at him and he looked down at her lovingly.

"Anything I can do?" He asked sincerely.  
"Funny you should ask," she said and flicked her eyebrows up playfully.  
"Oh," he said and leaned down to capture her lips as she laughed.

She wrapped her right leg around him, pushing him deeper inside of her and pulled the blanket over their heads.

He moaned into her mouth, as she gripped his back side pulling him closer to her.

He began to move, slowly at first. She groaned every time he pushed up inside her, stretching her walls. She arched her hips off the bed to meet his repeatedly. Her movements grew steadily faster, more frantic, and he grabbed onto the headboard in front of him to aid himself. Soon, their hips were crashing together loudly, Jim's strained groans echoing her gasping moans as their bodies came together, over and over.

He felt himself tightening, preparing for his release, and she lifted her head; his hand curled around her head to pulled her closer.

"I'm gonna come," he grunted in warning, his lips found hers in a clumsy kiss, and her teeth clamped down on his bottom lip, tugging encouragingly.

With that, he came, his other hand digging into the sheets as he thrusted into her shallowly a few times, emptying himself inside of her again. She clenched and unclenched herself around him, milking his orgasm out of him, and he issued a low, guttural moan as he pulsed inside her.

She sucked on his bottom lip until he slumped against her, and then she kissed him languidly, neither of them moving from their tangled, sweaty embrace for a while longer.

She was still trembling from her release when he rolled to the side of her and pulled her into his chest, sliding his hands up the slick plane of her bare back; his fingers trailed the ridges of her spine up to neck where he tangled them in the hair at the base of her skull. She sighed as she nuzzled his neck, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He just held her close, and kissed her forehead. They were content to just embrace for the moment.

"I love you," she purred. "I always will."  
"I'll always love you too, my darling." He whispered into her head.

He usually didn't use these words to describe his love for her. She laughed in response and snuggled into his tighter.

She'd never stop loving him for as long as she lived, and even then, she wouldn't stop either.


	12. Undead Comic

**A/N: I'm not a fan of this episode, but making a part of it what I wished it could've been is definitely a nice things. The ghost was boring to me and the people surrounding him were just bland. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

It was late at night, past nine o'clock.

Jim was making himself something to eat during his late shift tonight, and Melinda was working the books for the store.

"Andrea has nerves of steel, I mean, I can't imagine anything scarier than having to get up in front of a bunch of people and make 'em laugh." She said as she wrote things down on her paperwork. "Could you do that?"  
"Me? No." He answered as he tried to decide which apple to pick. "Heck I was Linus in a third grade production of _You're a Good Man Charlie Brown_ and I almost blew chunks of Snoopy."  
"Wow!" She exclaimed as she looked on her laptop, scrolling through this month's profit.

She didn't expect to make that much this month.

There had been some expensive spending when it came to fixing little things at the store. Like the door handle broke and needed to get that fixed, the lights were flickering and she had to get that under control, and there had been an estate sale where she went over what she and Andrea budgeted for a larger piece.

But ten thousand dollars.

Ten thousand dollars, was definitely more than her usual profit of maybe a couple hundred to some times the saddening double digit

"That's not about my third grade play, now is it?" He asked as she jumped from her seat and raced into the kitchen.  
"We're turning a profit! The store is turning an actual profit!" She exclaimed from the kitchen doorway.  
"Really? Congratulations!" He took a step toward her.

He loved seeing his wife, but seeing her overjoyed and happy was his favorite other than when he saw her over satisfied as he went down on her or made love to her.

Speaking of his wife in little clothing, tonight's relaxing outfit was rather hot. Her powder blue tank top clung to her, and he didn't realize she wasn't wearing a bra until now.

She nipples pebbled against her blue tank and she smiled big at him.

He really wished he didn't have to work tonight.

"Yes! It's right there in black and white." She squealed. "We should celebrate, my treat."  
"Definitely," he whispered and hugged her tightly.

His pants tightened as she nibbled on his ear and ran back into the dinning room saying something about calling Andrea.

Tonight was really gonna suck.

 **~x~**

When he got home the next morning at nine in the morning, he knocked out next to his wife in his work clothes.

She woke when he hit the bed and went over to help him out of his clothes. It took over twenty minutes for her to get his pants off before she even start on his shirt. After getting that off pretty easily she left in his boxers and white tank top.

Her fingers ran through his hair and she tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead before walking into the bathroom to shower.

She had a long day ahead of her and needed to get started.

* * *

Melinda immediately wished she hadn't let Andrea talk her into this as soon as she walked out of the bathroom. Jim was already tucked under the covers, his eyes closed and breathing slowed. What was she expecting anyway? She's not this type of girl. She doesn't wear things like this. She wears Jim's old shirts and nightgowns to bed, not lacy stockings and corsets.

She was just about to turn around and change into something more Melinda-appropriate when Jim's eyes opened suddenly, the bright blue found her in an instant. His eyebrows nearly disappeared behind his over-long black curls as his gaze moved over her body.

"Babe, what are you wearing?" He asked.

The blush started on her chest, pouring it's way up to fill her cheeks as she ducked her head and scuffed a nylon-clad foot at the floor.

"I don't know," she muttered embarrassingly. "It was silly. Andrea said it was a thing- that you would like it, but I don't know what I was thinking."

She wished the floorboards would separate and swallow her up, never to be seen or heard from again. And this damn tight corset doesn't really help the situation at all.

He cleared his throat as he sat up, pulling the blankets with him as he let his feet find the floor next to the bed.

"I don't like it." He said softly. "I love it."

Melinda's gaze snapped up from the floor to find dark pools surrounded by thin rings of blue as he heatedly observed her from his seat on the edge of the bed. She snorted before she could stop herself.

"I look like an idiot," she muttered.

He extended a large hand out towards her with a tender smile.

"You look beautiful, Melinda. You always look so sexy." He chuckled. "Come here."

She shook her head in disagreement but allowed her hand to find his anyway. Jim guided her toward him slowly, his eyes still roving over her form, lingering on the garter straps that peek out beneath the material of her corset.

Once she was near enough, he wrapped a hand around the back of each thigh, his thumbs rubbed gentle circles just above the ends of her stockings. He nudged her closer, moving her so she stood between his knees before he leaned forward and let his face come to rest against the flat of her stomach.

Her fingers found their way to the soft curls of his hair naturally, a path they've forged a thousand times. Jim huffed a heavy sigh against her and the material of her corset did little to protect her skin from the gentle warmth of his breath. She shivered and knew he's felt it. They were too close for him not to have noticed the way her body reacted to him.

A tiny squeak past her lips when he suddenly pressed an open-mouthed kiss against her stomach, a circle of damp heat finding it's way through the thin fabric to her skin. A moment later Jim balanced his chin against her so he could peer up at her with a cheeky grin.

"Do you have any idea what seeing you in these," his fingers played with the garter straps, "does to me? Is this something you bought with all the money you're rakin' in?"

She nodded her head wordlessly, a shy smile played at her lips.

He watched her, his pupils dark pools of lust as his hands glided up her thighs and under her. He leaned down and presses a kiss to the cleft between her thighs.

His gaze met hers again after a long moment before he huskily admitted, "It makes me want to fuck you until you can't help but scream my name over and over again."

Warmth tingled through her limbs as she shifted nervously onto the balls of her feet and bit her bottom lip to hide the grin spreading across it. She shrugged slowly.

"Then do it," she challenged, earning an impish grin from him as he tugged her down into his lap.

It was at this point that she realized just why he so carefully ensured the covers moved with him as he sat up at the edge of the bed. His erection pressed eagerly against her and she grinded her hips down against him. He released a guttural groan, eyelids fluttering shut for a moment.

"Fuck, Mel." He whispered, bright blue eyes found her brown ones before his lips eagerly captured hers.

His tongue flicked lightly against her bottom lip as he pulled it between both of his, earning a pleasure-filled sigh. Jim didn't hesitate for a moment before his tongue delved past her lips, stroking the roof of her mouth as she melted in his arms. Her fingers twined through his curls, pulling him closer, ensuring he couldn't get away. Her body filled with a languid heat that pooled in her veins, lighting her desire with each moan she earned from him.

She moved against him in a slow rhythm, his fingers dug into her hips as he dropped his lips to draw a path of heated kisses along her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone. Slowly, his hands slid down her thighs, fingers fumbling with the clasps of the garter straps as he blindly attempted to unfasten each one. Melinda bite her cheek to keep from laughing at the little frown that took over his face when he pulled away and focused his attention on the tiny metal contraptions.

A frustrated sigh escaped him when his fingers fumbled and failed to release the same clasp for the third time. She couldn't stop the tiny chuckle that made it's way past her lips earning a playful glare from the stunning man holding her in his lap. Leaning forward quickly, she pressed a kiss on the tender skin where his jaw met his neck, sucking gently until she felt him relax with a soft moan.

She wanted this to be enjoyable, not some puzzle to frustrate him. When she pulled away, her doe eyes never leave his. She slid from his lap and tried not to think about her general lack of sexiness as she quickly fiddled with the remaining clasps on her stockings, releasing each one easily.

Jim's gaze grew dark with want once she finished and he stood, allowing the comforter to pool at his feet as he retrieved Melinda, bringing her back to the bed.

It's only a moment before his hands tugged down the corset to reveal her breasts, taking one under each palm as his fingers work deftly against the tender skin. She gave him a little whimper, arching up against his touch.

His hands broke away for a brief moment as he found the hem of her corset. She leaned forward, allowing him to slip behind her and untie the knob and slip the corset over her head before he pressed her back into the bed, his lips moving desperately with hers.

He shifted slightly over her and she wiggled beneath him, seeking a release for the heat coiling and settling lower in her abdomen. She let out a breathy gasp when her core made contact with his thigh, earning a smirk from him as he pulled away from her.

A scowl made it's way across her face before he even had the chance to stand again and Jim let out a deep laugh before reaching a thumb forward to smooth out the crease in her brow.

"You're so damn cute when you're pouting," he chuckled like a gleeful little schoolboy.  
"Shut up!" she fired back, the scowl returning instantly, "I'm not pouting. I thought you wanted to fuck my brains out."

His smile feel as a primal look washed over him, sending a shiver through her.

"I do," he said softly, his tone meaningful as his fingers hook in the band of one stocking.

He leaned forward, pressing a warm, soft kiss to her inner thigh and creates a trail along her leg as he slowly pulled the thin layer of stocking away.

Her thighs clenched when he repeated the same motion with her other leg, wetness gathered between her thighs as he did. Her eyes fell shut when he lifted her foot from where it rested and pressed a kiss to the sole of it. Her toes curled at the sensation, almost ticklish, but too enjoyable to pull away from his grasp.

Her thin piece of fabric known as a g-string was the last to go and Jim tugged them off eagerly, settling between her thighs the moment her feet are free of the constricting material. The look that washed over his face, the one that he always wears when he was in this position, is one of awe and desire. Splaying one hand over her stomach, he lifts one of her legs over his shoulder so he can latch his arm around it. Her muscles tightened when he came close, letting out a warm breath against the sensitive, heated flesh between her legs, but he doesn't touch like she wanted him too.

She lifted her hips, but he pressed her back against the mattress with the hand still resting on her abdomen.

"Jim!" She whined.

He gave her a toothy grin before finally lowering his mouth to her, licking greedily at her folds. Her breath hitched as the heat in her belly grew hotter and moved lower. Her fingers grasped at the smooth linens on the bed.

"Oh," she sighed softly. Jim groaned when he found her center sucking it between his teeth and toying with it until she squirmed. "Jim, oh, that's good."

He lapped eagerly at her slit, letting his tongue delve just past her entrance, but not far enough – just enough to drive her mad with want. She tried to move her hips closer to him, to hint at what she needed, but he held her firmly in place and showed no intention of adding his fingers to the mix. She could feel his smile against her as he worked and the twinkle in his eye was a dead giveaway as well. He was intentionally winding her up but denying her release.

"Please, oh please Jim." She finally panted after he swirled his tongue against her center in what seemed to be a never-ending game for him.

He straightened up, a devilish grin spreading across his lips that shine with her arousal.

"Please what?" He grinned.

She glared at him, but he didn't relent like he usually will. He was going to make her say it, beg for it.

"Just- oh Jim." Her thighs shook. "Make love to me why don't you?"

The snort he let out breezed over her heated folds, only adding to her desire for him to be buried between her thighs.

"Such the romancer," he crooned, sliding up her body and pressing a kiss to her lips.

He tasted like her. That's a feeling that she'll never get enough of, like she marked him as hers.

She waited until he broke their kiss before she added, "I need you."  
A soft smile played at his lips, "That's better."

Melinda was the first to reach down, taking his erection in her hand and guiding it to her entrance. He watched silently, staring at her small hand wrapped around him.

She let out a deep sigh once he pressed into her, burying himself in one thrust. He pressed his face against the crook of her neck, breathing in her soft scent as he began pumping into her, slowly at first, but building. He braced his arms on either side of her shoulders as her arms wrapped around his back, fingers dug against the smooth skin of his ass as he moved rhythmically against her.

Her moans guided his pace and his eyes never left hers once. He drived into her relentlessly, clearly having meant what he said about making love to her senseless. She didn't think she could have a coherent thought that didn't involve Jim right now.

Her thighs began to quiver and she knew her orgasm isn't far off, she could feel it building, spreading along every nerve fiber in her body. She let out a masculine sound lost somewhere between a moan and a growl as he sped up, his movements became more spastic as he throbbed inside of her.

The hand still on his back clenched, unconsciously scratching his skin as she cried out, shouting something akin to his name, arching against him as her thighs clenched and her muscles fluttered around him.

"Oh shit. You feel so damn good." He whispers, as he thrusted once more before spilling inside her. "Oh Mel... god how did I deserve you."

He collapsed on top of her, his head rested against her chest like a child's as his weight held her from floating into a million pieces as she reveled in her post orgasmic bliss. She played gently with his curls, now damp with his sweat.

He let out a boyish giggle after a long silence only filled by their heavy breathing.

"What?" She frowned in confusion, suddenly self-conscious and wondering what she must have done to amuse him so.

He lifted his head, resting his chin against her sternum so he could meet her worried gaze. His smile set her somewhat at ease.

"And here I was going to turn in early tonight. I love those stockings." He admitted softly, his fingers tracing where the thin material had been not long ago. "You should wear them again."  
"Hmm." She sighed contentedly as she relaxed again.  
"But, Mel?" He whispered.

She arched an eyebrow, too tired to be bothered with words. He frowned, his brows pinched together as though he had a nasty taste in his mouth.

"Next time don't bother with those stupid garter straps. Those things are like a damn Rubik's Cube." He muttered.  
She laughs but nodded, "Next time just the stockings then."  
"Good," he whispered, knowing she would litterally only wear the stockings. "And we'll keep them on while we make love."


	13. Friendly Neighborhood Ghost

**A/N: This episode is definitely one of my faves, even if Jim and Melinda fight. The ghost was definitely one of the most active spirits on Ghost Whisperer throughout the whole series.**

 **There is a small mention of the scene written by Meowser Hotchner in her story Cosmic Law of French Toast! Go check it out ;)** **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

They waved to Todd as he drove off toward his new beginning and Jim settled for a seat on the cement wall.

"Yeah. I think you should just keep doing what your doing," Jim concluded. "Like you do it." He looked at her and she settled next to him looking up at him. "I can adapt. I can do that for you."  
"I love you," Melinda whispered.  
"I love you too," he whispered back.

They met with each other kissed at Homer barked.

"I love this dog," she smiled and turned to face the dog Jim couldn't see.

She felt a warm sensation against her hand knew that was his only way to show affection as a ghost.

"I love you!" She giggled. "How are we gonna get you to crossover, huh?"  
"No crossing the dog over. I like him, I like the way he makes you smile." Jim says and looks at the grass in front of her.

Homer barked and she looked up to where he was barking at a dark figure in the window.

She'd seen him before, at the comedy club, with the laughing man. His aura was dead black and he gave off a sense that something bad would happen because of him.

And she didn't like it.

"Let's go home," she said smiling at him.  
"Alright," he said and they walked together, Homer following on Jim's side.

He opened the door and she walked inside, shedding her coat and turning to face him.

"Hungry?" He asked and walked toward the kitchen, kicking off his boots as he did.  
"A little," she smiled at him. She'd controlled her lust for him for two days.

She wasn't going to any longer. She didn't want to.

He was looking in the cupboard when she brought her hands around to undo his shirt.

"I'm hungry for you," he met her gaze and she blinked up at him as his lips collided with hers.

He tasted like cinnamon and stale whiskey and the slightest hint of strawberry lip gloss that might possibly be hers. Or not.

Whatever. She didn't care.

Melinda stood there stunned for a heartbeat, but awakened quickly to the way his soft lips coaxed hers to move in time with him. She cried out as he sucked her top lip between his own, before he plunged his tongue into her mouth, not waiting for her permission to enter this time. And she welcomed him willingly, her hands snaking under his arms to grip his back to press herself even closer to him.

She'd wanted to be the one to kiss him.

He let out a soft groan at her touch, his body shuddering against hers. He stopped kissing her and pulled away slightly, while she let out a soft cry of displeasure at the loss of him. He opened his eyes and stared down at her with the same glassy-eyed look. He lowered his head again, pressing his lips to hers in a long but sweet and gentle kiss that made her so lightheaded, she wasn't sure how she was still standing when they finally pulled away to come up for air.

"Melinda," he said hoarsely. He gripped her hips tightly, massaging the skin at her hip bones through her thin shorts in small circles that sent spikes of pleasure straight to her center with each pass. "I love you, God, I hate that I made you feel like that. That I tried to control you like some husband straight out of the fifties."

She placed a finger over his lips, wanting to stop his rambling, as honorable and adorable as it was. He looked down at her with a startled expression.

"Jim," she said, unable to stop her lips from forming a smile. "I knew what you meant, I was being stubborn." Her smile widened as a smile began to form on his face, but he gasped when her slipped her hands under his flannel to place them on his rock hard stomach. "I've wanted you since that morning after when your hand brushed against my breast. I wanted to so bad, but couldn't back down on my gift. And now that we're going to adapt for each other, I want you to stop thinking your some husband out of the fifties because you're not. If you were, you would have never let me go after him in the first place."

His face darkened into a savage, almost primal expression.

"I love you," he said in a low rumbling voice, sending a new wave of desire flowing through her.  
"I love you too," she told him and slanted his mouth back over hers to give her deep kiss.

She felt him one of his arms wrap itself tightly around her lower back, but she let out a squeak as he brought the other underneath her thighs to lift her into the air. She automatically wrapped her legs around his hips.

"Bedroom…?" He mumbled against his lips.  
"No," she moaned.

Jim gave an open-mouthed moan, and Melinda thrust her tongue in his mouth, wishing to taste him the way he had her. She sucked on his tongue gently, and then increased the intensity, eliciting another loud moan from him. He shifted to make his way around the kitchen island but accidentally jerked her into the countertop when she ran her tongue along his lips.

"Here," she moaned. "Right here."

He looked at her so apologetically that she would've laughed except for the unadulterated lust she saw in his eyes stole her breath away. Without another word, he lifted her onto the countertop and set her down gently. They looked at each other, wondering who should make the first move. She decided it might as well be her.

She gave the bottom of his shirt a playful tug and again slipped her hands beneath it. But this time, she also began inching his arms out, running one hand along the trail of soft black hair that ran down from his navel and disappeared into his pants. He got the message and whipped his shirt off.

No matter how many times she'd see him without a shirt, he mouth fell open at the sight of his toned abdominal muscles and well-developed chest.

She placed her hands on his chest and gave one of his nipples a flick, causing him to jump. He sucked in a breath as she placed a gentle kiss over it before she engulfed it in her tongue, licking it lightly. She felt the sudden urge to claim what was hers.

"I'd really love for you to take this off me," she said in a slightly shaking voice.

Boldness in this area was not something she usually had, but her ever growing need for him spurred her on.

"What this?" He pulled on the hem of her blouse. "With pleasure."

She expected him to just rip the shirt off of her, so it surprised her when instead he re-wrapped one hand around her back, while the other found its way back into her hair. He tilted her head to the side and kissed the sensitive skin behind her earlobe, causing her to groan, before he began to kiss his way down her jawline and onto her neck. He pulled the blouse off her to expose her shoulder but paused when he saw the orange strap of her new bra.

"Fuck, Melinda. My favorite color?" He puffed out, his warm breath setting her skin on fire.

But she couldn't have answered him even if she tried as he ran his tongue along her collarbone before he started sucking on the skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He let out a low chuckle as she clutched at the back of his neck with her hands, trying to steady herself against the onslaught of the new sensation. His fingers deftly began to unbutton the shirt, kissing down her chest as he went. Finally, when there were no more to be undone, he pushed the top off of her, letting it flutter into a heap on the floor.

But he didn't stop there, rather he placed a hand on the clasp of her jeans before giving her a questioning look, visibly asking, _"Is this ok?"_

She didn't even nod her answer, instead stepping away to give him a wicked smile that Andrea would have been proud of. She flicked open the catch and shoved the jeans off her hips, kicking them away from her after they fell to the ground. She ran her hands over her torso a little self-consciously.

"Fuck, I missed you" she heard him mutter again. There was a look of awe on his face, and the bulge between his thighs swelled even more as he raked his eyes up and down her frame. "You are so beautiful," he whispered.

She tried to shake her head in protest, but he didn't let her, he pushed her gently down onto the countertop. He gave her another long drawn out kiss before he began to ravage her neck, sucking hard enough on the delicate skin that she knew he would likely leave a few marks. She decided she didn't really care and pulled him down so that he came to rest between her legs, easily feeling the hard length of him through his pants against her thigh. She mewled at the contact, and he jerked against her at her cry.

Jim came back up to kiss her on the mouth, running his hands roughly over her stomach and areas of her chest not covered by the bra, while she did the same to him. The feel of his chest under her fingers felt so damn _good_ , and she realized that she would easily have no problem doing this with him for the rest of her _life._ That in itself was astonishing to she, but the connection she felt to him was just that strong.

She let out a loud cry as his suddenly ran a hand over one her bra cups, tweaking her nipple through the thin cloth. She took his hands in hers and placed _both_ of them over breasts in encouragement.

"You really are going to kill me," he groaned as he began to knead them in his hands, squeezing them with a waxing and waning intensity, drawing out continuous cries of delight from her mouth.

And when he finally slipped one hand beneath a lacy fabric to pinch her nipple lightly, she let out a loud moan.

"Jim!" She cries out breathlessly, trying to communicate what she wanted, but unable to get out the words.

But he seemed to understand, for he pulled off her and stood up, pulling her with him. He did not move a muscle as she reached around to unhook her bra and pulled it from her shoulders, but she didn't miss the third soft curse falling from his lips.

"Shit," he said this time, reaching back for her, but she held up a hand teasingly, pointing at his pants.

She laughed at the glare he gave her, and the longing to touch her plastered on his face. But just as she wanted to see more of her, she wanted to see more of him.

"The removed clothing ratio stands at 3 to 1 in my favor. I think it's only fair that you even that out," she said with a wink.

A bright pink color crept into Jim's cheeks, but he stood up without protest. He gave her an endearingly nervous look and slipped off his socks before he slid his belt out from his jeans, shakily undid their button, and let them fall past his narrow hips to the floor.

"3 to 2," she said quietly, unable to take her eyes off of the prominent bulge outlined by his boxer briefs.  
"I took off my socks too. Doesn't that make us even?" he said jokingly, but she heard the underlying uncertainty in his tone.  
"Don't count," she said evenly. "I want you. _Please._ "  
"I want you too," he said a little shakily. "I wanted you from the moment we kissed outside. And I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought of you like this during my late shift last night when I had to take measures into my own hands."

Melinda laughed. But then she sat up and put her finger on his lips to stop him from talking further.

"Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?" She said slyly.

She pressed her breasts into his chest, rubbing against him slowly, while she brazenly slipped her other hand beneath the elastic of his underwear to stroke him, feeling him grow even harder in her hand. She gave him a satisfied smirk as he jerked forward at her touch, his breath hitching in his throat.

"Possibly," he said in a tight voice, gritting his teeth. She squeezed him lightly. "Oh God, Melinda!"

He involuntarily gripped at her hips as she tugged his briefs down, releasing his erection. He let out a soft hiss as his erection slapped against his stomach.

"Now we're even," she said softly, staring down at him.

He _was_ big, she remembered the first time she saw him and how she was a little worried about him being inside her. That she hadn't had sex in over a year, and Kevin was so much smaller than Jim was.

But now, she was accustomed to him. She was all she'd ever have in her entire life. She ran her hand along his erection, running her thumb over the tip, and then started to pump him slowly, eliciting a deep groan from Jim. He brought both his hands up to her breasts again and ran his thumbs over his nipples, pulling at them gently until they too stood erect.

They continued on like that until finally, he pushed her hand away with a loud groan. She looked up at him in confusion, but he smiled down at her.

"That felt…God, I can't even begin to explain how good that felt, but I don't want to come like that…not tonight," he said in a husky voice that sent a rush of wetness seeping out from her already soaking wet core. The ache between her legs was becoming almost unbearable. As if he heard her thoughts, he suddenly growled, "My turn."

She gasped as he gathered her up in his arms and promptly laid her flat on her back on the floor. She practically melted under his gaze. Melinda felt like she was about to be devoured, but in a good way.

Jim kneeled down upon the bed and kissed her softly on the mouth, before pulling away to let his hands ghost over her shoulders and stomach, her thighs, right down to her calves and toes, but never in the places she most wanted his touch.

"Jim," she begged, arching her hips upwards as his hands came to rest on her hips, trying to direct him to where she wished he would go.  
"Patience," he said playfully.

She let out a huff of irritation, but it was drowned quickly as his mouth descended on her breast while his hand massaged the other. She clutched at his head to keep him in place as ribbons of pleasure shot through her.

Melinda let out a sharp cry as he bit down on her nipple lightly before laving the tender skin with the flat of his tongue. He swirled his tongue around slowly before sucking her mound into his mouth, his tongue kneading her skin until she felt like every nerve in her body was on fire. And as he switched to her other breast to give it the same treatment, she bucked her hips into him, invoking a cry from both of them as his erection brushed against her dripping center.

Jim moaned deeply against her skin, the reverberations coiling within his belly, while she ground her hips against him again experimentally, unsure of how much more she could take. But she didn't have to wait long, for Jim pressed his finger against her clit through her panties before cupping her sex into his palm entirely, a few moments later.

"Oh…oh, _yes_ ," she said, pressing herself into him further.

Jim smiled at her again and slipped two of his fingers beneath the lining of her panties, running them through her slick folds. Her heart pounded out an erratic rhythm as he pushed one finger inside her, and she called out his name loudly.

"Oh Jim!" She screamed and then pressed against him.  
"You're so wet," he said in wonder as he slipped his second digit into her, curling them back against her pubic bone to hit _that_ spot.

He started kissing her again as he began to pump his fingers in and out of her, and she ground down upon him. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this good. Her self-ministrations had certainly never matched up to how she was feeling now, but she still wanted more.

"Ohhh, Jim. T-touch me," she whimpered.

He pulled away from her lips to quirk an eyebrow at her.

"I _am_ touching you," he laughed, slipping a third finger inside her to illustrate his point, pumping her more quickly now.

Her' head flopped from side to side.

"You. Know. What. I. Mean," she said through gritted teeth, her breath coming out in short bursts.  
"Hmmm. You mean…like this?" He said, swirling his thumb around her center.

She cried out, arching her back into the air.

"Y-y-yes," she squirmed, panting heavily.

With that answer, he withdrew his hand, causing her to growl with displeasure. But then she watched in astonishment as he sucked her wetness off his fingers. She loved when he did that because her whole body would flood with heat, even more turned on than before.

"You taste so good," he said, before he hooked his thumbs into her panties and tugged them quickly off her, before lightly touching her thighs to get her to spread her legs for him again.

She let them fall open, but then she looked up at the ceiling. She was now completely open to him and the exquisite vulnerability of the situation was something she was barely able to handle. A big part of her wanted to close herself to him and hide under the covers.

"Beautiful. You are so beautiful, Melinda." He leaned down against her and kissed her deeply. "There will never be another woman as beautiful as you."

She looked up at him slowly, startled to find that while there was still plenty of lust in shining in his brilliant blue eyes, there was also adoration bordering on reverence.

"You're the girl who will always set my soul on fire." He said against her neck.

Her heart swelled with an overwhelming feeling of love, not entirely sure how she had found him.

"Jim, I need you inside me. Right now," she said almost desperately.

She couldn't wait anymore.

Jim thrust inside her slowly, and Melinda gasped with delight, new tendrils of heat already beginning to rise within her.

"God, Melinda," he said in a trembling voice when he had finally filled her to the hilt. "You're so tight, baby. You feel so… ohhh."

He grunted as she deliberately clenched her walls around him, encouraging him to move. He got the message and pulled out of her to the tip, before pushing deeply back into her, setting up a steady rhythm that she met with thrusts of her own. She wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him more closely to herself and moaned with ecstasy as he brought his lips back to her breasts.

Each time their hips met, pleasure jolted through her center, each crest driving her into a higher and higher state of euphoria. She knew she was already close to another orgasm.

She raked her hands along his arms and back before she whispered his name, wanting to look at him. She swept a damp curl back from where it was plastered to his forehead as he met her gaze, crushing his lips to hers in a deep kiss, urging him to increase his pace. She was not disappointed as he began to drive into her relentless, causing the cord of pleasure within her belly to tighten even more.

Melinda decided that she'd been wrong to think that sex wasn't so intimate an act, not with this utterly deep and completely bottomless connection she felt with he. Based on the way he was looking at her, she felt confident that he felt it too. She realized, in this moment, she finally had some understanding of the way her mother had felt about her father. And why she had been so distraught when he left.

"Melinda!" Jim cried out as tremors ran through his body. "Oh god, I can't… I can't hold on much longer," he said, his chest heaving and his breaths coming in harsh gasps, his thrusts becoming more erratic.

He pulled his lips back down to hers, letting him know that it was fine. More than fine. He propped himself up on one elbow and reached between them to her center, rubbing along it in quick, tight circles that sent shudders through her body.

"Just like that," she whimpered, writhing under his fingers, each thrust of his erection only adding to her pleasure.

She wrapped her arms around his back, trying to hold on for him. The sensations were too much, and her second orgasm of the night crested over her, even more powerful than the first.

Jim let out a loud cry as her walls contracted around him. He thrust into her haphazardly a few more times, before she felt him spill his release into her, her fluttering musculature milking his orgasm from him. Finally, he collapsed onto her, burying his face against her shoulder.

"Oh, Mel," he mumbled, kissing her neck softly, and she felt a different kind of warmth from the heat of their sex spread through her.

They lay there for a few minutes, residual tremors occasionally running through their bodies from their respective releases, as she felt him soften inside her. Eventually, he let out a faint sigh and rolled off of her, tucking a tendril of her hair behind her ear.

"I'll be back in a minute," he murmured in a low tone.

She waited patiently for him, and as promised, a minute later he reappeared with a glass of water and damp washcloth in his hand. He handed her the glass, and then tenderly washed the mess of their lovemaking from her legs. She realized she was now starting to feel very sleepy.

"You're amazing, Melinda," he said quietly when he picked her up.

He brought her to the bed and crawled back in with her, pulling the sheet up and over them as he gathered her into his arms.

"Mmmm. You too. You're amazing," she mumbled, eyes already having been lulled shut under the comforting, steady beat of his heart beneath her ear.

She heard him laugh softly as he brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her temple.

"I love you," he whispered as he realized she was now asleep. "More than you'll ever know."


	14. Last Execution

**A/N: Melinda and Jim were both so tortured in this episode. Melinda physically with her hair being stuck in the garbage disposal and emotionally with all of the torturous visions and dreams, and then Jim with the woman suing him for saving her life. She was such a piece of work and I hated it. So I'll try and make it a little better with this :)**

 **Many thanks to Meowser Hotchner of the scene where Melinda's hair is stuck in the garbage disposal.**

 **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Jim pulled into the driveway, unbuckling his seatbelt and settling into his seat.

"So, that was fun." He said.  
"Yeah!" She exclaimed, smiling at him. "We should do that more often."  
"How about tomorrow?" He asked smiling at her.  
"Oh I can't. I'm busy," she held up her hand to flash her ring. "Married."  
"Oh," he sighed.  
"Yeah," her hand brushed up against his thigh and he felt himself awaken.

They were so going to get some the minute they got in the house, if not right here.

"You didn't tell me about that," he whispered and pulled her in from the back of her head.

Their lips met fiercely and her tongue slid across his bottom lips.

God, it was an understatement to say he loved the way his wife's lips felt against his.

"Oh no," he said, his hand stained red.  
"Oh my god! Am I bleeding?" She gasped and turned her head as if she could see it.  
"No," he said smelling his palm. "It's paint."  
"Paint? In my hair?" Her hand retreated from his groin and he felt himself soften.  
"Yeah," he said softly, opening the driver's seat as he grabbed the keys.  
"Gross," she muttered and hopped from the car.  
"We'll get it out," he answered, maybe a sexy shower would start things between them again.

He needed to be inside her, filling her completely, making her scream his name in the black of night again. It'd been almost twelve hours since he crawled into bed with her early this morning after being called out for a fire last night.

She'd met his with a smile and he awoke a firing passion deep inside her with a simple kiss and they went at it for hours, just simply loving each other enough to bring each other pleasure.

He needed to feel that, to bring them both to their most vulnerable points.

"Figures the one night we go out I get paint in my hair," she muttered as she brushed past him, his fingers found her hair and she pulled away. "Don't touch it!"

She laughed, and he did too. She was always able to bring him to laughter by doing the same.

She had such a sexy laugh, one he'd never heard come from anyone else ever.

He opened the door gracefully for her and she stepped inside and immediately went for the stairs.

"Ugh, I'm gonna go wash this off." She groaned.  
"Oh wait, the shower is broke." He said simply.  
"Again?" She said flatly.

She was sick of this.

Sick of everything breaking or falling apart around here.

Why had she agreed that they could buy a fixer again? She loved the thought of building their home together, but she was already growing sick of everything, but she'd soldier on, for him.

Because one day she knew this would be their home, beautiful and finished.

"I forgot to tell ya," he said. "I'll fix it tomorrow. You could use the kitchen sink, I do it all the time when I'm in a hurry."  
"I really wish you hadn't told me that," she said and turned to go change into something more comfortable.

He followed her upstairs a minute later and found her in a comfortable pair of sweatpants and her bra, towel in hand.

His slacks tighten as he sprung to life much like his wife's breasts with each step she took.

"Keep it in your pants while I'm gone. I won't be long," he hand brushed up against his groin as she walked past. "I mean it Jim."

He watched her walk away, and down the stairs, hips swaying and ass perfect. He loved his wife's body, and he'd never stop.

* * *

She rolled her eyes, wishing for a working shower before reluctantly turning on the sink, waiting for it to get warm. It was such a bad angle, she was sure to get a kink in her neck.

She was going to torture him for this later, never giving up as she kissed around him before finally taking him into her mouth after relentless time.

Once the water was warm she bent over the counter and felt the water pour over her. It was kind of relaxing minus the cold counter against her stomach and the strain in her neck.

She dug her fingers into her hair, wondering where exactly the paint had spread to. She leaned in closer, standing on her toes to get the back of her head under the faucet, wondering idly if Jim would still be up for some hot times tonight. This morning had been more than amazing and she knew after she brushed her hand against him she had hooked him in. Their conversation in the car had been so promising and then she'd ruined it with her hair.

Gross. She'd never let herself get anything in her hair ever again.

She dug her fingers in harder, and then halted, feeling like something wasn't right, beginning to panic when she heard the disposal turn on. Good god, this couldn't be happening. She yanked her head up but her hair was already caught.

That wasn't supposed to happen. What the hell?

Her hair pulled deeper into the drain as her hair is yanked against her scalp. She slams her hand against the counter and tries to reach the switch.

She could die.

Melinda realized that, reminded of the horror stories of what had happened to so and so because of their garbage disposal. She banged at the counter, desperately trying to pull herself free but the pull on her hair was relentless. She could feel her terror beginning to choke her and only barely managed to scream for Jim, the words forced from her mouth the moment it became almost too late.

After many failed attempts and he head begins to ache more and more as he hair is pulled farther from it's root. Tears spring from her eyes and she sobs.

"JIM!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice squeaking. "JIM! JIM!"

She struggled against the pull of the disposal and screamed for him over and over again.

Where the hell is he?

And then Jim was there.

* * *

After watching his wife descend the stairs he decided he would prepare for her return.

Tonight was going to be earth-shattering. He could feel it in his soul as he began to light her favorite candles around the room.

Would he lie naked or in his boxers on the bed?

Naked. Naked would be the best option, less clothes to get off of him.

He slowly stripped his suit jacket and hung it back up in his closet before losing his shirt and finding the linen basket Melinda had instructed him to finally start using after one too many times of tripping over his clothes.

He heard a scream that sounded like Melinda's and he began to blow out all of the twenty or so candles he lit, fire hazard.

When nothing came after that he decided he must've just misheard what she had said. Everything was fine.

Her scream echoes the hallway again and again and he bolted for the stairs. Why had he thought he hadn't heard anything? He saw her struggling to reach the garbage disposal switch and ran ten times faster than he ever thought he could.

"JIM! JIM!" She screamed helplessly and banged her hand against the counter as he reached her, he examined what was happening.

He immediately went to tug her hair free from the drain, with no avail he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, trying to calm her.

"I'm gonna get you out," he said simply and flicked the switch on and off. "It won't turn off!"

He went back and felt her crumple beneath him and sob harder as her hair was pulled depped into the drain. He tugged with all his power, he needed to get her out. He struggled beneath her as he reached over for the scissors, there was nothing else he could do.

"Cut it," she whimpered. "Cut it, Jim."

He was going to with or without her approval.

"JIM!" She screamed again as he quickly cut the hair.

The screech of the machine stopped, the slight buzz as the hair was still being mangled in the drain.

He pulled her into his arms, holding onto her as tight as he possibly could as thunder shook the house and she cried harder into his chest. He rubbed the back of her heard softly and kissed her forehead sweetly.

"It's alright," he whispered. "I've got you."

She was never going to stop shaking tonight, let alone sleep.

* * *

She sat on the bed staring at the ceiling, her hands still shaking as Jim entered the bedroom.

"Melinda?" He said her name so delicately, causing her stomach to knot with anticipation. "Are you feeling better? I made you tea." He held out her favorite mug and sat down next to her. His smile was warm, comforting and alluring, but he knew something was up. He could see it on her face. "Mel, please talk to me. You haven't said a word since."

She stared at him, at a loss for something to say. With a sip of tea, she could see he was about to speak again, but that was no good. If he started talking she'll start talking and never stop crying. So before he could open his mouth she set her mug down and closed the distance between them, and quickly pressed her lips to his, and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him to her.

At first, it was only her kissing him, his body rigid under her touch, and she feared that she had done the wrong thing, but just as the thought of pulling away entered her head, she felt his arms come up to hold her neck and face, gently. Now that his mouth has begun to move with hers his tongue darted forward, pushing its way past the seam of her lips, the tip drug against the ridges that line the roof of her mouth, before it came down to taste her own tongue, and she sighed into his mouth.

She was so wrapped up in the kiss, in the way darts of pleasure shot to her center every time his teeth grazed her lips, and the taste of his bottom lip as she sucked it into her mouth, that she didn't notice he was moving her back until she was flat against the pillow.

Without separating his mouth from hers, his hands found her hips and he held her tighter as the kiss intensified, and she began to lose time. She knew she am the one who reached out first, pulling up the white tank top he was still wearing.

It was then when she reached down to let her fingers move against the bulge in his pants, pressing and rubbing until she had him hissing against her mouth, and when she quickly undid the button of his grey slack, lowering the zipper before reaching in and wrapping her hand around the warm throbbing length, he thrusted in her hand. She pulled him free, enjoying the silken feel of his hardened erection.

Jim pulled his mouth away, breathing heavily, then pressed his forehead against hers.

"Melinda," he whispered, and she thought he meant to stop her, but then his eyes moved up and met hers, and the look nearly burned her.

In that moment, she knew that in another place and another time, under different circumstances Jim would want to do this another way, with candles and music, but they were not normal, never were. She didn't need romanticism or grand gestures she just needed him to want her as much as she wanted him. She needed him to take what she was offering him, but his shuddering breath, and smouldering gaze, and the way his fingers dug into the skin of her hips let her know he felt this hunger too.

"I need you," she said as clearly as she could.

It seemed to be enough for him.

He unclasped her bra, pushing it back over her shoulders, all the while keeping his eyes focused only on hers. Then he was working on the tie of her sweatpants, and with one good tug he had pulled them off of her, exposing her legs.

When his finger moved from her inner thigh and brushed against her thong she shivered, and his hand moved away, but she greedily grabbed at his wrist, pulling his fingers back to where she ached from him, using him to rub the needy area through the thin lace material. He bit his bottom lip so hard she was sure he was going to draw blood as he watched her face, his darkened eyes trapped her, and she could feel herself become wet at his touch, but the ache persists, hungry for more than he was offering me, no matter how much she rocked against his ministrations.

"Jim, oh Jim," she begged breathlessly, her heart pounded so hard that she was sure it was going to leap from her chest.

His eyes glazed, his hands moved up to the waistband of her thong and, as if under a spell, he methodically pulled them off, throwing them to the floor. His fingers curled around the backs of her legs as he studied her face once more, looking for a hesitation she knew wasn't there. When he was satisfied he pulled her whole body closer to her.

He kissed his way down her figure, his lips finding the sensitive spot in both of her thighs. He grabbed her knees and pulled her legs to his shoulders before reaching his hand out and placing it over her middle, rubbing her center with all four fingers. He maked wide, circular motions, placing his other hand securely over her pubic bone.

He listened to her soft breaths turn into soft moans as his fingers passed over the swelling nerve, time and time again. Then, his two middle fingers pushed into her slowly, palm up, testing to see how ready she was. He curled his fingers up, and she threw her hands down on the mattress, splaying them out across the sheets and throwing her head back when the pads of his fingers graze the top of her walls. She arched her back, and he began to pump his fingers into her harder, faster, keeping his fingers curled and his arm stiff.

Melinda's breathing was labored and shaky, and her chest heaved from the effort. She tried to speak, but all that comes out are indistinguishable sounds that turned into moans which caused Jim to throb even harder, and his moans joined hers, the sound of their voices together reverberated off the walls.

Suddenly, Melinda's body seized up; she pulled her upper body off the bed, gasping between moans. Her legs began shake, and Jim felt warmth gush over the palm of his hand. His eyes widened in surprise while Melinda convulsed under him as more fluid flowed from her.

He pulled his hand away and looked at Melinda as she tried to catch her breath. Every so often, she convulsed again before falling back into the bed, inner thighs glistening from her release.

"You've never done that before," Jim chuckled, rubbing her thigh.

She seemed to still be having trouble speaking. She simply nodded at him, a satisfied grin on her lips.

"Intense," she panted, sounding tired.

She patted the bed next to her, silently asking him to lay down next to her; when he did, her hand found his erection, slowly running her palm over the head before grasping him lightly.

"Thank you for saving me," she muttered. "Really... Thank you. I would've never gotten out if it weren't for you."  
"It was my husbandly duty," he kissed her shoulder and shifted onto his side.  
"Come inside me," she looked at him and licked her lips. "I need you. I'll never sleep tonight if you don't."

His lips found her as he pushed himself on top of her.

"Anything for you," he whispered.

When his hands grasped his length her lip began to tremble, and she closed her eyes as he slowly guided himself inside of her.

He filled her completely, the slickness of her need for him helped him sheath himself deep inside me, and he stopped short.

"Are you ok?" he rasped, and she could feel his whole body shudder, because he was desperate to move again, and she wanted that for him and herself, and she nodded, but although he began to slide out of her and then in, he went slow, because he knew her better than anyone.

Her fingers grasped at his rippling muscles, and her hips began to rock, to meet each of his tempered thrusts as she continued to need more.

The change in her fueled a confidence in Jim and he began to move faster and deeper, and her gasps became whimpering moans as she climbed toward something she was not sure her body would survive. Jim's forehead fell to her shoulder, his arms wrapped around her waist and his movements became frantic.

"Melinda," his voice is strained. "Melinda, oh Melinda I… can't," but was too soon, and she knew she would never fall before he did.

Her fingers moved on their own, to the slicked spot that she rubbed to thoughts of him, and they began making tight desperate circles, as his thrusts became more shallow. She felt him tense then spill inside of her, and the sensation of him was enough to make something snap deep inside of her, and she shattered to pieces. It was painful and beautiful and it was all she had ever needed, and all she ever wanted for the rest of her life. Air caught in her chest, her fists and eyes closed tightly, and something that sounded like a death rattle escaped her lips.

Then she heard her name, a soft sweet serenade that escaped her lover's lips, beckoning her back to him, but when she opened her eyes and met the adoration in his, her heart began to ache painfully, her stomach swooped violently and her eyes stung with slowly forming tears.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly, but she couldn't answer, her mouth opened but no sound came out. "Oh Mel... come here."

He held her closely and kissed her deeply as he rolled onto his back and pulled her onto his chest.

She watched a million emotions race through his eyes, but the one they finally end up consumed by was one she knew all too well. It was the same emotion she saw there every time he thought about his past. Her interpretation was confirmed when he pushed a puff of air through his nostrils.

"You'll cross this ghost over and everything will be okay. I promise." He whispered. "Tonight was just a night of misfortune and I'm sorry I wasn't there quick enough."  
"Jim," she cried into his shoulder. "Nothing has ever happened to me like this before. I don't know how to get this under control."  
"You always do," he reassured her. "You always do."  
"I hope to God you're right on this one," she whispered and kissed his chest.

* * *

She sat up in bed not long after their midnight, holding her hair that was once on her head not long ago.

It was storming pretty badly, the trees smacking against the bedroom window every once and a while and making her jump.

Luckily, Jim had been able to fall asleep pretty quickly and usually after a good night he wouldn't even make the pillow like tonight. She wished she could sleep as peacefully and quickly as her husband often did.

She looked over at him as he snored loudly and smiled playfully. He was so cute when he slept.

With a slap of the tree against the window, she set the hair on her nightstand and pulled herself from bed. Something wasn't right.

She walked slowly over to the window as as the tree branch slapped against the glass she jumped back and looked over to Jim who just tossed onto his back in his sleep.

Nothing could wake him in this deep of sleep, that's for sure.

She carefully walked over to the window again peering out of it as a body dropped against eh window hung, much like the decoy at the party.

With a screeching scream, Jim jumped from the bed and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She whipped around and grasped his shoulders with fright.

"What happened? What happened?" He asked and he gripped her forearm. "Melinda? What happened?"  
"We're not alone," she hyperventilated and grasped him for dear life. "It's still here."

His hands moved from her arm to her waist and pulled her in, she ducked her head and pressed into his chest as she sobbed.

"Come here," he whispered and set his chin on top of her head. "It's alright. It's ok. I'm here, I'm not going to let go of you." She grasped him closer and he rubbed her back softly to soothe her. "You're alright."

He brought her to the bed and held her as she shook violently in his arms.

No ghost had ever affected her like this, and he didn't like it. He didn't like how powerful they were getting, that they were truly scaring the wits out of not only her, but him too.

He couldn't lose her to this, he just couldn't. He wouldn't ever forgive himself.


	15. Melinda's First Ghost

**A/N: I love this episode for more than just one reason. It's because there is a glimpse at Melinda as a child and a lot of bedtime conversations, plus Melinda's birthday! Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

After the spooky play, Melinda found herself crocheting a green scarf that she was going to give Andrea for her birthday. She always complained about how cold she got during the winter months and so even though her birthday is March, it's still a little chilly and she knows Andrea will still enjoy the present and thought behind it.

She noticed he walked into the room from the sound of his work boots against the hardwoods, but knew he wouldn't pass her without a kiss, so continued to neatly finish her line.

"Boo," Jim said leaning down over her.  
"Hey!" Melinda exclaimed and kissed his pouted lips briefly, his hand grazing against his cheek. "How was work?"

She looked down at her line and realized that she would

"Busy," he answered, turning to walked toward his closet, opening the door as he set his book down on his pillow. "How was the play?"  
"Spookier than I than I expected actually," she laughed and looked down at the scarf again.  
"Good for Dylan," he answered. "You know, I haven't had a chance to read this new training manual. I'm just gonna do it downstairs."  
"No, stay." She said looking over at him, pushing her bangs out of the way. "I can sleep with the lights on.  
"Alright," he muttered softly. He stripped his shirt off slowly before bringing it over to his closet to hang it up. "Oh! Hey, I forgot, your mom called this morning."  
"What did she want?" She sighed and slowly finished her line.  
"I don't know, she didn't say." He replied quickly, he didn't want to annoy her. She hated speaking about her mother, he knew that, but he couldn't just keep from her that she had called, even if it hadn't been that important. "I was thinking, maybe, it was birthday related."  
"Well, you're not gonna plan anything right? Promise me?" She said standing up from the chair.

She swiftly walked over to her side of the bed and started to remove throw pillows and open the bed up.

"We're not planning anything," he muttered and slide his watch off his wrist.  
"We?" She asked looking up at him.  
"Me. No one, no one is. Promise." he said setting it down on the nightstand.  
"Right, because you know how I feel about it." She said sitting down in the bed.  
"Yes, I do." He answered. "Although, I was kind of hoping this year you might be over it?"  
"I'm not," she muttered.

She looked over at the window anxiously and he sat down next to her. His hand found the small of her back and rubbed softly.

"You okay?" He asked.  
"Yeah. I'm just... tired." She answered and laid down, pulling the blanket to her chin.  
"Mel I know you have some issues with you mom." He says leaning on his arm, his muscles tightened and he looked over her for any sign. "And this birthday thing..." She brought her hand to her eye and rubbed slowly and moaned softly, so hot. No Jim. Talk to her, you need to talk with her about this. "You want to talk about it?"  
"What's there to talk about?" She said and rolled onto her side, facing away from him. "Single mother didn't do a very good job, that's a pretty common story."  
"She raised a pretty uncommon daughter," he leaned and kissed her shoulder.  
"Yeah. That's part of the problem." She muttered.

He sat on the bed for a few more moments watching her wiggle around before pulling himself up from bed to change from his work clothes into something more comfortable.

His hands quickly found the hem of his shirt and he peeled it from his body, ridding of it quickly and throwing it on the floor.

The squeak of the bed as she rolled onto her back to watch him called his attention. He smirked and reached for his belt, tugging it off agonizingly slow to tease her.

"Want some help?" She asked peering up at him.  
"I've got to get this reading done," he chuckled. "I have training sessions with the newbie tomorrow and need to have read through section seven by the morning."

She crawled over to him and unbuttoned his slacks, holding the zipper between her index finger and thumb before slowly pulling it down, her middle finger tracing over his soft length while holding eye contact.

"Mel," he warned. "I-I'm never gonna finish if you do this."

She smirked as she let go of his pants and they dropped to his ankle.

"Might as well get rid of these too," she whispered, pulling on the waistband of his boxers and peeking inside. "Ooh someone's waking up, did he miss me?" She laughed and quickly pulled his boxer briefs down and off completely, casually tossing them behind her.

He let out a gasp as she began to move her fingers up and down his length, pausing after every pass to tease the head with her fingertips; she felt him grow even harder under her touch. Smirking, she wrapped her right hand around him, pumping up and down in slow, languid strokes.

"How far are you into your reading?" She asked.  
"Through section five," he gulped and leaned his head back in pleasure, a throaty moan escaped his mouth.

Her own lips quirked upward in delight, knowing that just this simple act was already driving him crazy. With her left hand, she ran her nails along his chest, leaving scratches in their wake. She ran her tongue along the white marks, eliciting another uncontrolled groan from him. She took great pleasure in watching his facial expressions change, along with his eyes, which began to darken out of pure lust.

"Well then, Mr. Clancy, you better get cracking before I fall asleep." She whispered softly, letting go of his throbbing erection with a wink as she plopped back down in her spot and reached for her own book to read.  
"Mel," he reached out for her but she ignored him and poured her attention in the book at hand.

Reluctantly, he brought himself into bed next to her and grabbed the training manual. His erection throbbed between his thighs every second or and he couldn't concentrate.

"Damnit Melinda," he muttered under his breath.  
"What?" She asked looking over at him innocently. "I didn't do a thing."

He responded by slamming his book shut and yanking her own from her fingers, placing it face down on the nightstand.

Quickly, he slid her panties down down her legs and through them over her shoulder.

"Jim!" She laughed.

He slide one his hands between her legs and along her folds, seemingly determined to return the favor. She felt herself growing wetter as he stroked her center, working his fingers against it in tight circles before switching to his thumb and pushing two fingers inside her in a sharp, steady rhythm. She could tell that he wanted to evoke the same kind of desire in her that he clearly felt himself.

"Ah! D-don't stop…" She whined.

Her hand found his erection quickly and she repeated her motions from before. As she increased the speed of her strokes, his fingers began quickening their pace as he pushed them deeper and harder inside of her, causing her to keen and gasp in response.

She wanted him so damn badly already, but tonight was more about prolonging the experience and driving each other absolutely wild. Locking her eyes with his, she removed her hand from him, pressing her hand against his chest and pushing him onto his back. She paused, seductively running her tongue over her lips to wet them.

"I'm going to make sure tonight is permanently etched in your memory…" She whisper with a wink and she straddled him.

Her lips found his and trailed down, over his neck, to his stimulated nipples, to a scar on his ribs, to his belly button and to the base of his cock.

She slide down and took him in her mouth, his hands tangling in her curls as she bathed the tip of his cock with her saliva. She watched as Jim closed his eyes in pleasure as she flicked the head with her tongue a few times before licking up and down his entire length slowly. She moved one of her hands to his sac and gently caressed them while she gripped him with her other hand and began pumping in a slow, deliberate rhythm. She returned her attention to the head, sucking harder and bobbing her head up and down in sync with her strokes.

She could tell he was enjoying himself, as he began arching his back and moaned even louder when her teeth lightly grazed over him. After a few minutes, she began increasing the speed of her ministrations, only pausing to release him from her mouth so she could tell him what she wanted next.

"I can't wait to ride this cock of yours." She panted and licked her lips.

As she slid up his body once more, bringing her lips over his sucks and leaving a few scandalous love bites that she knew the guys would see tomorrow, she let her lips brush against his, those widened blue orbs of his locked with hers and he smiled, sinking his teeth into her bottom lip.

As she widened her legs to straddle his lap, Jim placed his hands on my hips, guiding her into a seated position. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed their lips together in another fiery kiss that he eagerly returned, feeling the wetness of her core rubbing against him. She deepened the kiss even further, pulling his face closer and using her tongue to explore every inch of his mouth. His kisses moved to her sensitive neck, her moans becoming louder as he licked and nipped at her flesh. Releasing her hold on him, she reached back to slide the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders, allowing it to fall to her hips where he brought it over her head and threw it over to where his own clothes were.

He stared at her bare chest for a moment before bringing his hands up to squeeze my breasts, bringing his mouth to kiss and suckle at each nipple. As he ran his tongue around and over the sensitive peaks, she felt a shiver of pleasure rush down her spine in response. By this point, her desire for him had built up to where she couldn't wait any longer; she shifted slightly in his lap so that his cock was pressing up against her entrance.

He felt her movements and moved his hands down to her hips, pulling her downwards onto his length. She cried out in satisfaction as he buried himself inside her, his moans of pleasure echoing hers.

"Never bring up my mother again, please." She gasped and looked up at the ceiling. "It only ruins my mood," she sighed and looked back at him. "I wanted to jump you when you got home and then you mentioned her and everything faded into my hatred for her and ugh... just please. Even if she calls, don't mention it unless someone died."  
"You need to stop thinking about her," he answered as he began a steady rhythm, his hands moving over the blossom of her ass as he slammed up into her.  
"You're the one who brought her up." She muttered and moved on top of him.

It didn't take very much for him to take control, which was easy given our position, he pushed her onto her back and caught her lips quickly, sending waves of ecstasy throughout her body.

"You're mine, this is our time." He answered. nipping at her neck, knowing two fresh marks would be there in the morning. "Don't let her ruin it."

His hips moved with precision as he thrusted into her quicker. She nodded quickly and arched into him, screaming his name in delight. He increased his movements as a result, driving himself deeper and harder inside of her, a groan escaping his throat each time. He complied with her unspoken demand, moving his hips in time with hers, creating an ideal synchronization between them; every one of his forward thrusts perfectly counterbalanced each of mhery upward strokes.

He felt he orgasm beginning to build between her thighs, but also knew things were far from over. He was going to make her forget all about her mother calling, about how stupid he was to have said anything.

"Roll over," he said darkly.

She obeyed as his grip on her lessened and pulled out kneeling before her, his words and tone increased her desire that much more.

 _Two can play at this game,_ she thought.

She slowly and deliberately rolled over, wiggling her ass as she looked back at him from over her shoulder.

"Is this how you want me, Jimmy?" She asked salaciously.  
"Holy fuck, Mel…" He moaned, moving behind her and grinding his pelvis against her ass. "You know just how to tease me baby."

He gripped her hip with one hand and her hair with the other as he sheathed himself inside her again, causing her to arch upwards and shift her backside against him. He lustful moans and keens made their way to his ears as he make love to her from behind, burying his cock as deep as he could inside her, thrusting harder and faster in a continuously building rhythm.

"Harder, Jim! Oh harder!" She cried out, pushing herself back into him.

Seeming eager to please, Jim reached down and lifted one of her legs up onto the bed so that he could drive himself deeper into her core, each of his thrusts sending jolts of electricity throughout her body as her orgasm approached.

"Oh God, yes, just like that! Please don't stop…" She screamed into the night. "Jim! Oh Jim."

He grunted in response and continued his forceful thrusts, he let go of her hair and reached around with one hand to rub her clit, which finally pushed her over the precipice. She screamed out his name as her orgasm crashed over her, her walls clenching around him as fire blazed down her nerves and swept through her body. She fell limp on the bed, completely boneless as Jim's movements became more erratic, signaling that his own climax wasn't far behind.

"I love you," he whispered into her shoulder. "No matter what, you know that right?"  
"Of course,' she panted and turned her head to peer back at him.

He kissed her jaw and the corner of her mouth sloppily.

"I'll never get tired of us, of being with you like this." He whispered. "Never."

A few thrusts later, he heard him moan loudly in satisfaction as he completely buried himself to the hilt, releasing inside her, his chest falling against her back as they both struggled to catch our breath. After a few minutes, she felt his weight move as he pushed himself up off her and collapsed on his back. Once she recovered and began to move, he grabbed her hands and pulled her to lie on his chest, looking at her with glowing yet satisfied eyes.

"Well, that was an interesting," he said with a chuckle.  
"What, are you complaining?" She asked, unable to suppress her grin.  
"Hardly," he replied, still somewhat dazed. "But next time, just tell me to not even try to read, alright?"  
"Deal." She kissed his chest and settled into his arms.


	16. Dead Man's Ridge

**A/N: I love how much Andrea was in this, granted it was only because it was about her and the ghost was attached to her, but so much Andrea and I adored it. Plus the hospital ghost that was hitting on Melinda and Andrea. Too great haha. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda helped Andrea bring her bag of clothes in and brought it over to the couch.

"I'm sorry about this, but you're gonna be sleeping on the couch." Melinda sighed. "I wish you could stay in one of the guest rooms, but they aren't in shape for someone to sleep in there. Jim repainted one and hasn't had the time to clean everything up, and the other doesn't have any bedding yet."  
"Melinda, I'll be fine right here." Andrea said. "Don't worry. Your couch is comfortable enough for me."  
"Alright. I'll be right back I'm going to go get some bedding," she smiled at her best friend. "Jim's here somewhere. If you get hungry you can ask him and he'll make you something or just go at it by yourself."  
"You're the best Melinda, you and Jim. I don't know what I'd do without you." Andrea said and hugged her.  
"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable." She rubbed her back softly.

Melinda kicked her shoes off and jogged up the stairs to the linen closet where she grabbed a sheet and blanket.

"Hey you," Jim said walking out of their bedroom in a towel. "You're home... later than I expected."  
"Andrea's downstairs," she whispered. "I'm going to make her a bed up on the couch. Could you grab her some pillows from the spare?"  
"Oh crap. I completely spaced she was coming tonight," he sighed. "Yeah. I'll get dressed and bring them down."  
"Thank you," she breathed. "I love you."  
"Love you too," he spun her around, sheets and all, and kissed her deeply.

Her hands gripped his shoulders for stability as he kissed her deeply, he guided her to the hall closet door and his hands moved over her white camisole.

His hands explored her waist, his fingertips peeking underneath and touching her skin.

"Jim, we can't." She gasped as his mouth landed on her neck, sucking softly.  
"Of course we can," he laughed as he ran his fingers over the expanse of her slim stomach.

She loved her husband's hands.

They were big and strong, have a few nicks and scars, they are rough, sometimes there is a little paint on them, like he did today, probably finishing up the guest bedroom.

He'd cut the grass today, set the back patio furniture up and planted the seedlings like she'd asked him to kindly do and she could feel the blisters on palm. His hands told her what kind of day he had.

"Jim, pillows." She warned as his fingertips brushed against her bra. "Please."  
"Only because you said please," he pressed a brief kiss to her temple and walked away.

The blue towel clung to him, draping itself around his delicious behind.

 _Andrea's here,_ she reminded herself.

She needed to stay sane. They couldn't have sex with her here, they were engaged anymore.

"Staring at me?" Jim laughed as he came out with two pillows in hand.  
"Maybe," she muttered. "I'm going to shower once I get her bed set up. I was moving boxes today, lots heaving lifting and I'm all sweaty."  
"Oh yeah?" He walked toward her, placing the pillows on her sheet stack. "Well good thing I'm going to need to shower again."

She smiled and turned to the stairs.

"Yeah. Good thing," she answered and quickly rounded the banister toward Andrea.

* * *

"We're going to get through this," Melinda reminded Andrea as she walked toward the stairs again.

She really did need to shower.

"Hey! There's plenty of room down here on the floor if you guys want to crash down here with me." Andrea called out as she climbed the stairs. "No? Night."

She reached the top of the stairs and quickly ran into their bedroom, Jim wasn't here.

Oh crap. That's right. He's downstairs, doing the dishes.

She closed the door behind her and took her sweater off, setting it on her chair in front of her vanity.

His footsteps could be heard, he'd be up here soon. And then they could have some fun.

 _Quiet fun_ , she reminded herself.

She sat on the bed, waiting for him, as he walked in.

"She's really shaken up," he sighed.  
"I just feel so bad for her, you know. She's never been targeted like the before." She hugged her knees to her chest as she watched Jim bring his fingers to the buttons of his flannel.  
"Yeah, not like us old pros," he joked, pulling the shirt from his jeans and sliding it over he shoulders.  
"Pros, maybe, but old? Never." She laughed. "Do you think we've done enough?"  
"What about?" He asked.  
"You know, in life so far." She said simply. "Do you feel like we've lived enough?"  
"Ask me in forty years," he said and kicked his boots off. "Well if I can still hear you then."

She needed that laugh, she really did.

"It just's that today I was looking at Andrea's photo albums looking for anyone significant that could be haunting her.. and she's just done everything." She explained. "You know, traveled the world, had a big important job in the city, she's interested in everything."  
"And yet, now she is sleeping peacefully on our living room couch." He leaned on the bed frame, just looking at her.  
"Yeah, all roads lead to Grandview." She answered.  
"Ours did," he said walking around to sit with her. "Come on, you can't compare your life or ours to anyone. Who knows where we're gonna be in five years."  
"Yeah," she sighed.

His arm snaked around her and rubbed her forearm softly.

She loved how he always kept one hand on her, always softly rubbing her back or wherever it was. How he used his hands to rub her softly, a motion that was supposed to help her relax, but instead was incredibly arousing.

"I wonder sometimes, I just... I don't know... feel a little trapped." She sighed.  
"Hmm?" He pointed at himself as he leaned into her back.  
"No. Of course not," she answered smiling at him. "I mean by what I can do. It's just never going to be any different, no matter where are or what we do."  
"I think you're right. It's never going to be any different." He explained and leaned his head against hers, his nose. "It's going to be you and me in love; Grandview or Egypt. And I can't think of a bigger life than that."

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and nuzzled his face into hers.

She sat there, Andrea on her mind. She hated to see her best friend like that, to see her hurting.

Andrea was her best friend, she doesn't deserve to have her life screwed with. This was all because she'd told her about her gift. She wouldn't have to worry about this if she wasn't her friend.

"Still going to shower?" He asked, rubbing both of her arms again.  
"Yeah," she sighed and pushed herself onto her feet. "You don't have to come.

She shimmied out of her camisole and felt his eyes on her.

"Come here," he said, his voice thick with lust.  
"Uh uh," she teased him playfully. "You have to wait."

She reached behind to unclasp her bra and then her breasts were exposed and he was watching her so intensely she thought her legs might give out. Her lower stomach clenched in anticipation for when he finally got his hands on her.

He licked his lips and she was so ready for him, but Andrea.

No. Stay on track Melinda.

She cupped her breasts, pulling on her nipples, making little mewling sounds.

"Melinda, come here." he pleaded and she could see him growing inside his jeans.

She smiled and undid the button her jeans, sliding them over her hips and kicking them off. Her panties were next, they were tugged down her legs quickly.

"I'll just be in the shower," she said staying out of his reach and walk  
"If you make it in there," he smirked.  
"Oh I will." She said and bolted through the doorway, his arms were snug around her waist in seconds.

She screamed in laughter and he kissed her neck.

"Shh," he reminded her. "We have a guest Melinda."  
"Oh you think you're so funny," She laughed as she turned on the water.  
"What can I say? I'm hilarious." He said tugging his tank top over his head.

A rush of heat bloomed between her legs and she'd give almost anything for his fingers to be there, rubbing furiously and working her to the very edge of the greatest feeling she'll ever known.

He looked down at her, blue eyes filled from the exhaustion of the day and lust from just being with her.

"Get in," he said gently, slowly pulling his belt from his jeans, teasing her, she thought haughtily.  
"Yes," she smiled at him, stepping behind the glass door as soon as the water ran warm enough to bear.

She made short work of washing her hair and as the suds ran down over her body, her hands followed along slowly, caressing her erect nipples, squeezing around her breasts, ghosting along her side, eliciting goosebumps even with the heat of the water against her flesh.

She was wound so _tightly_ , she needed this _so much_ that she couldn't keep her hands away from the soft tuft of hair at her core any longer.

Jim was taking to long.

She hiked her leg onto the ledge built into the side of the shower, quite handy for this very purpose she'd realized lately, and bravely probed her folds, already slick with her arousal. Melinda moaned softly and squeezed her eyes shut as she dipped her fingertips into her just enough to wet them and began to draw tight circles around her center.

It wouldn't take long if she didn't slow down, and as desperate as she was for sweet release, she also wanted to enjoy the sensation.

She pulled her fingertips away from the throbbing bud and instead slid her hand over her entrance, leaning her head against the cool tile of the shower wall.

"Jim…" His name was a whisper on her tongue as she bit her bottom lip and rocked her hips toward her hand gently.

Then a blast of cold air and the slam of the glass door broke her trance and Jim was, finally, standing naked in the shower with her, his eyes dark with wanton desire.

He smiled at her, shook his head, and pulled him into her, hungrily crushing his lips to hers. She kissed him back. Modesty forgotten, her arms tangled in his thick curls. Water coursed between their bodies, lubricating them in the most delicious way as their tongues dueled for dominance and he nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth.

Jim turned his attention to her neck and lapped gently at the hollow just under her earlobe.

"Were you thinking about me while you touched yourself?" His voice was low, barely audible over the roar of the shower.

She desperately seeked out his mouth with hers, unwilling to give him an answer, but he moved behind her quickly and grasped her hips tightly, reclaiming her neck with his lips.

"Were you? Were you thinking of how good it would feel if I was the touching you?" He grazed his teeth against her neck, wanting more.  
"Y-yes…" She muttered, hands failing for his waist, to pull him more tightly into her body, to feel him pressed completely against her, and she gasped as his hardness brushed the small of her back.  
"Do you want me to touch you?" He muttered.  
"Yes," she gasped.

She could feel herself getting wetter and wetter with every word he muttered against her slick skin, and it definitely wasn't from the shower.

"Show me," He chuckled against her. "Show me how you want me to touch you Melinda."

Jim pressed his broad hands to her stomach, awaiting instruction, and she tentatively covered them with her own. Slowly, almost timidly, she brought his left hand to her breast and squeezed gently. He responded by tweaking her pert nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she keened, wondering for a fleeting second if it was possible to explode just from this feeling alone.

His fingers didn't still against the sensitive skin, he massaged her breast and she moaned.

So good.

"Where else, Mel? Where else do you want me to touch you?" He whispered against her neck.

Before she could stop to think, she guided his right hand down the flat expanse of her stomach, right to the apex of her thighs where she ached for his touch. He parted her folds with the lithe fingers she loved so much and the proximity of his hands to her core is too much so she tightened her grip on his hand and pushed him down further, until his long digits brush against her opening and the rough heel of his hand was firm against her center

"Show me," he hissed, and even though he knew exactly what she wanted him to do, she couldn't deny him this.

So she began to bend her fingers over his, administering a burning touch that she never thought was possible.

Their bodies worked together, hips bucking, one hand squeezing her breast, the other sliding over her slick center over and over until finally her mouth fell open and her gasps of his name echo against the shower walls. She clenched her thighs around their hands as she thrashed against him while wave after wave of wonderful release rolled over her.

Finally, when the last of the aftershocks have wracked her body, he withdrew her hand from the apex of her thighs, turned her in his arms, and kissed her languidly.

"How was it?" He asked and licked his fingers clean.

The water was long cold now, but they didn't care.

As long as the shower roared, Andrea couldn't hear them, or so they thought. Little did they know, Andrea sat downstairs chuckling at the sounds leaking down the stairs. They've never been able to keep quiet.

Melinda sighed and rested her forehead against his broad chest.

"You know how it was," she moaned.

Her hands drifted down along his torso, following the streams of water, and then her fingers clasped around his erection gently. She turned her gaze up to him, her eyes met his.

"Show me," he purred.

And together they began to move.


	17. Demon Child

**A/N: This episode is one of my favorites for Jimel. With the couch kiss which is remarkably sex and beautiful and ugh cut too short, to Jimel babysitting and Jen singing a little and interacting with a baby. It was just beautiful and I loved it :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Busy was an understatement right now for Melinda.

After everything that happened last week with Andrea, she was barely home for more than sleeping, spending most of her time at the store cataloging something new from the house she was auctioneering off before it's owner moved to the city.

Jim didn't mind thought, he was able to pick up a few shifts and keep himself busy and out of an empty house, but he missed her.

Two days was too long without seeing his wife. Both of them would come and go before the other was home, and it was taking it's toll on the both of them.

Melinda hated sleeping alone, she was never warm enough without her husband's body heat. And Jim, although was accustomed to sleeping at odd hours, alone sometimes, missed his cuddly wife who always attached herself to him in someway when they are in bed together.

Jim could feel it in his bones, he'd see her today.

"What's got you all tensed up Clancy?" Sulley asked as he checked his cards.  
"Oh nothing," he sighed and folded, setting his cars in the middle of the table.  
"There's something on your mind. I'll get it out of you before we're done with this hand." Sulley said shuffling the desk. "Did you get some bad news at the doc the other day?"  
"Nope. Clean bill of health," he tossed in two chips and settled back into his chair.  
"Something with your ma?" Sulley asked dealing out the cards to both himself, a rookie named Kurt, Bobby and Jim.  
"My mother's fine, still with that guy Ellis. She mentioned coming up for a visit on the phone last week." he said grabbing his hand, not making a face when he sees how good it is.  
"Maybe his wife cheated on him," Kurt added as he shuffled his cards.

He cracked his neck and glared at the rookie, he'd get him for that one.

"Ooh it does have to do with Melinda," Bobby laughed. "Did you finally knock her up?"  
"No." He answered and smiled, he wished that was it. "I wish."

God, to see Melinda carry his child, her stomach swollen with life would be perfection. He'd never complain about life again.

She'd be so beautiful, but she wasn't ready.

He wouldn't push her.

"You've been working back to back doubles, you haven't seen her in a while." Sulley replied. "What's it been... two days?"  
"Nailed it," he answered and rearranged his cards. "She's busy with all this new inventory at her store. I'm proud of her, she's making a name for that little place."  
"I fold," Bobby said and checked his watch. "I'm off anyway. See you guys in a week. Thanks again Jim for taking my shifts."  
"Anytime man," he nodded at him as his friend left. "See you around."  
"I fold," Sulley said and watched the pair finish this hand.  
"All in," Kurt chuckled. "Your toast Jim."  
"I bet you the rest of my shift that I'll beat you," he said looking at him.  
"Deal. I doubt you'll beat this," Kurt laid out his hand. "Full House."  
"Ooh what you got Jimmy?" Sulley chuckled.

Jim pushed out his chair and looked down at his cards with a smirk.

"Royal Flush," he laid out the ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a hearts.

An unbeatable hand.

He grabbed his jacket and high-fived Sulley.

"Tell Melinda I said hi," Sulley chuckled and patted the rookie on the back. "Never take a bet you don't know you'll win."

The rookie settled into his chair with a huff as Jim patted his back on the way out.

He practically raced across the square and through the store's doors.

"Hey Jim. She's in the back," Andrea smiled at him as she tied up a bag from a customer. "You're lucky. We just got back from the house."  
"Good thing I'm good at poker," he chuckled.  
"Take her home. Two days is a lifetime for you two." Andrea sighed. "I've got this place covered."  
"Thanks Andrea," he nodded her way and walked calmly through the back doors. "I owe you one."

Melinda was dressed in back, head to toe.

Her stilettos gave her the extra five inches she seeked, and her dress pants fit tightly around her ass as she bent over to grab something from a box and study it, a statue of some kind.

God, he'd missed seeing her just living like this.

Her jacket was snug around her chest and he licked his lips.

"Oh!" She gasped and turned to see him there. "You startled me."  
"I haven't seen you in two days, I was observing." He smiled and she set the stature down on her desk. "Come here," he said gently, holding his arms out and encasing them around her. "I missed you so ,so much."  
"I missed you too, but how are you here?" She asked looking up at him.  
"Let's just say I'm very good at poker and rookies are easily beaten at their own games, most of the time." He chuckled. "You have me all night."  
"All night seems like a dream," she laughed. "But I'm stuck here. I have too much to catalogue."  
"Andrea's got you covered." He reminded her.

Before she could say anything else, he moved his hand to cup her chin, pulling her head in the direction of his before pressing their lips together. Her body stiffened for a second before she obliged, deepening the kiss as her lips parted slightly. His hands moved to rest on either sides of her hips, rubbing the pad of his thumbs across her hips and relishing in the goosebumps that he knew were peppering her skin.

She let out a small noise from the back of her throat, sending shocks of excitement immediately to his groin. Her leg brushed against his hardening erection lightly, causing just enough friction to make him buck forward for more before breaking free from their kiss.

He wasted no time trailing her kisses down her neck. He nipped and licked at the spot behind his ear, where he knew her to be particularly sensitive and can envision her smile when she let out another shaky moan.

He bit down against her skin and snaked a hand up to palm her breast, pinching her erect nipple between his forefinger and thumb.

"Home... let's go home." She begged and looked up at him. "You're driving."  
"Good thing Bobby picked me up this morning when I got called in," he took the keys from the desk and kissed her. "Come on. We've got somewhere to be."

* * *

They barely made it through the front door before he brought her into his arms and carried her upstairs.

Once inside their room, they shed ever piece of clothing and fell back onto the bed.

"Too long," he muttered as he pressed his lips against her.

He took her breath away, licking and sucking and nipping at her lips. He trailed his mouth to that sweet spot behind her ear and she moaned and tilted her head back. Before she could even consider it, his hand dipped down and slipped between her wet folds.

"There it is," he murmured, circling her center hard and tight.  
"Jim!" She gasped, thrusting her hips forward, responding to the motion of his hand.

He lifted one of her legs up and hooked it around his waist, pressing his growing erection against her.

"I love your needy little center," he whispered against her skin, his hand movements picking up speed.  
"Oooh..oh Jim!" She cried, white lights exploded behind her eyes as she came suddenly, her body went limp against the mattress. "What was that for?"  
"I like making you come," he grinned before licking his lips.

She felt her walls clench at the sight of him, thick and hard and leaking from the tip. She spread her legs and leaned back on her elbows and waited for him to fill her.

"You know what today is?" He asked casually, his fingers slipped past her folds, curling against her front wall.  
"Wh-what?" She managed to gasp, eyes glued to the sight of him touching her.  
"Eleven months ago we got married. Eleven months ago we said I do."

She looked up at him, her heart beat wildly in her chest as she thought about the fact that he remembered before she did.

"It was the best day of my life," he said seriously, taking himself in his hand and pushing inside her.

She looked up into those blue eyes she loved so much and bit down hard on her bottom lip, suddenly overcome with emotion. She clung to his shoulders as he started a steady and firm rhythm.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," she admitted and closed her eyes as the pleasure coursed through her.

These past eleven months flew by, they've been so happy together.

"I love you," he said between thrusts, gripping the headboard for leverage.

He pounded into her, getting harder and faster until she felt like she was going to burst at the seams.

And when she came, she called his name louder than ever before just like he wanted.

From his position above her, he wrapped his legs around hers and pulled on her shoulders as he rolled onto his back, and she began to move on top on him.

"Wait," he says, holding onto her hips. "Let's do something a little different. Turn over and lie down with you back against my chest."  
"Listening to those rookies again?" She quirked her eyebrows in question.  
"Maybe," he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Just trust me."  
"I do," she started to turn, allowing him to slip out of her as she positioned her back against his chest.  
"Now put your feet flat on the bed." He brought his knees up, forcing her legs to spread and she planted them flat on the bed and waited. "You ready?"  
"Marriage is about trust, and I trust you." She found both of his hands brought them to the flat expanse of her stomach as she wiggled against him.

He found her entrance easily and pushed back into her, slowly bringing both of his hands up to toy with her breasts while his mouth found her neck and began to thrust.

The three different sensations began to overwhelm her sensations in the best way, and she wondered why it took so long to try this. Her jaw went slack in pleasure, her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Oh Jim…" She gasped, his hips rocked against her fluidly, his fingers working her needy nipples.  
"Melinda…" He gently reproached her and licked up the side of her neck.  
"You're gonna make me come," she cried out and her head found the crook of his neck. "Kiss me... please."

He found her lips with ease and kissed her deeply before he growled in pleasure and bit down on her shoulder, she's have a mark there for sure. He continued pounding into her from beneath.

"Oh god," she moaned.

His hips started to beat against her backside a little faster and she could feel every one of his muscles tense up.

"Mel, I'm going to come," he panted.  
"I-I'm ovulating," she replied, and he held her tightly against him.

He lost his rhythm and quickly realized what she was asking him to do. She was asking him to leave her warmth, so she wouldn't get pregnant.

He knew she didn't want to get pregnant, not now at least. Sometimes he felt like she'd never be ready, never want kids and always use her fear of their children having her gift.

She gave a quick strangled shout as the pleasure crashed over her and he quickly slipped from her and came on her thigh.

Their sweaty skin stuck together as they trembled and came down from their high together.

She rolled over onto her stomach and looked over at him as he leaned against her, kissing her neck, shoulders and the trail of her spine, whispering how much he loved her.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you after all this stuff at the store and you were working doubles. I didn't think we'd make love before I was done." She explained to him.  
"It's ok," he smiled at her. "Will you ever be ready?"  
"Not now Jim," she sighed and touched his cheek.  
"That's all you ever say Melinda," he sat up. "You always slea the conversation before it even starts. Do you even want children?"  
"Of course I do!" She exclaimed. "Just now is not the right time. My store is just picking up, and you were talking the other day about how Sulley was going to promote you. How can we handle our crazy schedules, my gift and a child?"  
"We'd manage," he sighed. "It's simple Melinda. Either you manage or you don't."  
"I love you," she informed him, trailing her hands through the ends of his black hair. "Isn't that enough?"

He smiled that beautiful smile, like he could never get enough of hearing her say that.

"Yeah," he answered and smiled at her. "Because I love you it is."  
"One day we'll have a family. I promise," she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

* * *

The next morning, Jim's phone rang.

"Oh no, I thought you were off this morning?" Melinda asked still groggy and not fully awake.  
"I am, I don't know why they are calling me." He grunted and reached for the phone.  
"What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes.

He looked at the clock on his phone before he answered it.

"6 am… Clancy." He yawned.  
"Hey Jim, I know you are off this morning, but there is a huge apartment fire that we can't get control of, we have our guys working on it but I need to get everyone down here… I'm sorry man but we need everyone we got, can you come?" Sulley asked him.  
"Where's the fire at?" He stretched his arms above his head. Suddenly Jim could hear a huge boom on the other end of the phone, "Sul, hey Sulley what was that?"  
"What's going on?" She looked up at him and rubbed his bare chest softly.  
"Sul says there's a huge apartment fire, and from the sound of it I think the apartment just collapsed." He explained to her while he waited for Sullet to get back on the phone.  
"Jim the apartment just collapsed, there were still people in there along with our guys and the fire is spreading, we really need your help."  
"Alright. I'm on my way," he told him.  
"Thanks, tell Melinda I said hi and sorry," Sulley said before he hung up the phone.  
"Mel, I'm sorry, but I have to go," he apologized.  
"I know," she told him as he went into the closet to get dressed.

He then walked out dressed sharply in his paramedic uniform and headed for the door, but she grabbed him and pulled him back towards the bed.

"I love you, and please be safe," she said before she kissed him.

He deepened the kiss then rubbed her cheek.

"I love you too, call me if you need anything, I'll have my phone on me the entire time, ok." He muttered. "I promise I'll be out by dinner time and make you a romantic dinner."  
"Alright, I'm holding you to that. Call me when you're done?" She told him as he walked towards the door.  
"I will, love you…" He said and with that he was gone.

She settled back into bed with a yawn and pressed her face into his pillow, breathing in his musk happily as she fell back asleep.

* * *

That morning, Melinda was certainly busy, her morning conversation with Jim a complete blur besides that romantic dinner being promised. That she'd remember.

She just hoped she'd be able to get home in time for it.

They were closed for inventory, so they could put out some of what they'd gotten from Christine yesterday.

"We are in completely over our heads right now," Melinda sighed as she brought over the third box of everything that they'd sorted through to be put on display.  
"I know, and I'm loving every minute of it." Andrea said rearranging a statue display, they certainly got enough of those in this deal. "Can you imagine if we sell every single piece we've gotten? Plus the stuff online!"  
"Yeah! Sutherbee's will be recommending us," she giggled and opened one of the boxes to grab a few statues.  
"I love Christine's taste!" Andrea cheered as she moved another stature to the front table. "You don't find her a little intimidating?"  
"No. I found her to be surprisingly nice," she said setting a gold statues on the front table as well.  
"Maybe it's because I wear her clothing line and read about her in magazines, but I just find her to be a little larger than life." Andrea explained.  
"You've read about her?" She asked. "Do you know if she lost a son?"  
"I don't remember reading anything about that," Andrea turned to her own box and grabbed another statue.  
"Because there's a boy's room on the second floor, just no boy." She said softly.  
"Well she's divorced. Maybe he's with his father?" Andrea asked.  
"Uh no, there was a presence there." She sighed. "No ghost, but all of his toys came to life."  
"I'm assuming not in a cute and cuddly Pixar's Toy Story kind of way," Andrea laughed.  
"No. It was menacing," she sighed.  
"What does he want?" Andrea asks.  
"I don't know. I'll have to go back and see him later," she said walking over to the door to look at the square.  
"Well, my advice is to stay away from the nanny. That chick is a little off." Andrea explained.  
"It's just so sad, I'm just trying to catch a glimpse of my husband." She sighed and brought the clipboard to her chest.  
"You didn't see him this morning?" Andrea asked and walked over to her.  
"He left before I truly woke up," she looked up at her.  
"Why don't you run over and say hi," Andrea smiled.  
"Because I don't want to bug him while he's at work, besides, he promised me that he'd get off early and make me a romantic dinner." She looked back over the square like she could see through the walls of the firehouse.  
"Ok. You just completely lost my sympathy," Andrea laughed and turned around.

Melinda followed her back to organize more pieces.

"How did your night with Jim go?" Andrea asked.  
"It went well, I think I upset him." She sighed and grabbed a few antique books.  
"How so?" Andrea said softly.  
"It's complicated. We were having sex and I completely spaced that I'm ovulating this week, so I tell him and then I get sucked into a conversation about having kids and I'm not ready." She explained. "And Jim, he can't understand why I scared. It's not the actual feeling of being pregnant, that's a beautiful experience, it's raising a child with my gift. I can barely handle my own gift sometimes."  
"Have you told Jim that? Because Melinda, I know you, sometimes you don't say what you're thinking all the time." Andrea said. "Jim can't always read what you're thinking. Sometimes i have a hard time."  
"I've tried time and time again." She muttered. "I don't like talking about it. Why can't he just understand I'm not ready?"  
"I think he does understand, but what I also think he just wants a family with you." Andrea explained.

She nodded and turned to finish emptying these boxes.

Back to the grind.

* * *

Around six o'clock, Melinda came home to find Jim asleep on the couch.

His chest rising and falling slowly as she sets her purse on the lamp table.

"Jim, I'm home!" She called out and smiled as she saw him. "Let the romance begin."

Jim stirred and looked over at her with a smile.

"Hey, gorgeous... come here." He said, half awake, and sat up slightly to kiss her briefly. "I was just about to start cooking."  
"You seem really motivated," she joked and rubbed his chest tenderly.  
"Not really," he sighed.  
"You know what, this is ridiculous. Why don't you let someone else take some of Bobby's shifts this week?" She asked leaning against the back of the couch.  
"Well the trust is, I volunteered." He answered.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"I'm just trying to sock away some real money," he resituated himself.  
"For what?" She looked down at him.  
"The future," he answered. "Alright. I'm completely awake, fully alert."  
"Do you want me to make dinner?" She smiled.  
"I lied. I must be dreaming," he joked and got a soft punch to the chest.  
"You know what, I'm starting to like cooking..." She said standing up and walking into the kitchen. "If you weren't always hogging the kitchen, maybe, I would get some practice. What do you want to drink." She opened the fridge and grabbed two beers, saying softly, "Beer."  
"Beer is good," he answered and she closed the fridge with her hip.  
"Do you remember that customer who's got me all busy?" She asked.  
"You mean that one keeping us apart with all her furniture?" He laughed.  
"Yes. The fashion designer, her kid died and I saw him today." She walked through the dinning room and saw him sleeping again. "JIM!"  
"Hmm? What? I'm awake," he said stirring again as she sat on him, giving the beer. "I was memorizing the placement of all the furniture in the room."  
"Liar," she whispered and leaned down, capturing his lips in hers.

She completely leaned on him, her breasts flattening against his chest as she rested her hand on his left shoulder, she felt him spring to action against her rear and smiled against him. She loved that she could do that by simple action.

Her eyes closed as their lips mingled, feeling a zap of electricity. The room seemed to spin around them. She clutched desperately, never wanting this moment to end.

She felt his hands pull her closer, as close as physically possible. The urgency in the kiss was unbearable. She wanted him; she wanted every fiber of his being. She ran her hands through his hair, pulled his face to hers.

"I'm awake," he muttered, deepening the kiss as she leaned more into him, his hand squeezing her lower back. "Yeah... I'm really very awake."

It was wonderful, perfect. She could almost see the fireworks.

He set the beer on the coffee table and pulled her close, his tongue dancing with hers, as the phone rang.

"Let the machine get it," he said as they separated.

She looked down at him and grabbed the phone from the cradle. Tonight was going to be long, they both could feel it.

* * *

He quickly changed the little girl's diaper when he first heard Melinda knock on the door.

"Jim!" She called thought the glass and he quickly buttoned the little girl's onsie up again. "Jim? It's cold out here."

He hurried down the stairs and smiled when he saw her. Maybe this would change how she felt about having a baby, practice with Jessie would certainly help, right?

He opened the door and she kissed him, her finger tracing over the little girl's chin.

"You had me worried when you didn't come to the door," she sighed. "Is everything okay? You look spooked."  
"He's messing with my head, otherwise things are fine." He explained and the baby cooed, wrapping her hand around Melinda's pointer finger.  
"You're amazing to do this... I know you're exhausted." She said.  
"It's practice," he smiled at her.  
"Yeah, has you been sleeping?" She babbled to the little girl in his arms.

He remembered something about her babysitting as a teen and smiled.

If she was amazing with some random kid, God, she'd be even better with their kid. Perfect really, if that was even possible.

"Yeah, she's was just out a minute ago." He laughed.  
"You're wasting your time Daniel." Melinda called over his shoulder to where he saw nothing, he wondered what the kid looked liked and why he was doing this. "I can help you."  
"Is he watching us?" He asked.  
"He was here, now he's gone, for now." She sighed.  
"Do you think he's dangerous?" He looked down at the baby in his arms and hoped to God he wouldn't hurt her, she was just a baby, his sister for God's sakes.  
"If you can't see him he might be," she explained. "But as long as I keep an eye on him, and don't let Jessie out of my sight we should be fine." She reached for the little girl and Jim brought her into his wife's arms, a smiled on his face. This was too good to be true. "Christine said she'd be back on the first flight back in the morning."  
"So, uh, we take turns watching the baby right?" He asked and licked his lips while looking down at her.  
"I'll watch the baby," she laughed "And see if I can talk to Daniel. You go get some sleep, you look exhausted."  
"Alright," he yawned and leaned in to kiss her briefly before walking toward the couch. "Goodnight."

She bounced the baby in her arms and rubbed her back.

"Hi," she cooed and walked toward the kitchen. "Hi baby girl. Let's go get you a bottle."

* * *

It wasn't long before Jim had to go back to work.

He grabbed his medical bag and ran up the stairs to find Melinda. He could hear her voice, soft and soothing to the little girl she holds in her arms. It was almost like she was singing, maybe she was, maybe he was just to far to truly hear and the beauty that is his wife with children.

He took the stairs quietly and made it up to the nursery quickly, leaving his bag just outside the door for retrieval on his way out again.

"The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out," he watched as his wife sang to the little girl in her arms, bouncing her softly to relax her enough to finally get some actual rest. "Up came the sun and dried up all the rain, and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again."

Melinda pressed and kiss to the little girl's cheek as she rubbed her cheek softly.

"That's a beautiful sight," he said softly as he watched her look at him with a smile.  
"Why aren't you sleeping," she smiled at him.  
"I gotta go to work soon," she answered softly. "Here let me try."

She handed over the baby to him on the side of the crib and he made a few babbling baby sounds to Jessie, causing Melinda to laugh softly.

"How you doing girl?" He whispered in her little ear as he kissed her temple.  
"Wow, I'm impressed." She said as he laid her down carefully in her bed.  
"There you go," he said pulling the blanket up over her belly. "Snug as a bug in a rug."  
"Wow," she said looking at him.  
"That's something my mom taught me," he said softly.

She looked down at the little girl who was happily looking back up at them.

"Makes you think, doesn't it?" He asked softly and tickled her softly, looking up at his wife.  
"Sure. How could it not?" She whispered and smiled at him.  
"You'd make an amazing mom, you know that. I know that," he leaned down to look up at her.  
"Ooh, we're not ready. I'm not ready," she sighed. "It's just not time yet."  
"I know we said we'd wait, I do." He explained. "I just- sometimes I wonder what we're waiting for."  
"A finished house, for one thing." She laughed. "We have so much to do. Work... save money."  
"I'm taking every shift I can." He said softly.  
"You're really planning on this," she sighed.  
"I'm thinking ahead," he answered.  
"It's just not the right time." She replied.  
"When?" He asked and leaned in closer to her.  
"We can't put a clock on it," she muttered.  
"You're heart tells you when you're ready, not your bank account." He explained and looked down at the now peacefully sleeping Jessie.  
"Then I'm just not ready Jim," she answered. "Don't rush me into something like this. I told you that one day we'll have our little family. Trust me on that."  
"I better get to work," he said and stood up, walking over to her. "You say one day, and sometimes I think that will always be what you say."

He kissed her and touched her cheek.

"I promise you that it won't," she whispered and kissed him once more. "I want to have family of my own with you. I do."  
"I gotta go Mel," he said.  
"Jim," she sighed and grabbed his hand. "Please don't be mad at me."  
"I'm not mad. I just... I have got go Melinda." He answered and smiled at her as he grabbed his medical bag and left.

She stood and watched the little girl sleep, her hand drifting down to rub her belly softly.

Who wouldn't want to have kids with Jim Clancy? He's the perfect man; sensible, caring, loving and accepts every part of her, so why can't she wrap her mind around having a child with him?

Is it because she doesn't want to lose her figure? No, of course not. She isn't vain. She wouldn't care if she had a child and never fit in the same clothes again, with children come sacrifices.

And something she didn't want to sacrifice was the time she was able to spend with her husband, she knew that number would be dwindled down and that scared her. What if he didn't get enough attention and cheated or worse? No, he would be hands on and never let either of them out of his sight.

She also worried about what if they had her gift. All along she thought the gift skipped a generation, but that was another lie. Her mother repressed her gift, which is why she had headaches, so their children would see ghosts as she does.

How could she handle that? How could she tell Jim this?

That she was afraid. That she didn't think she'd be able to handle it.

Because he had such confidence in her. In them. He truly believed that they could handle anything together... and Melinda believed that too. Or she wanted to.

But whenever she imagined holding a baby in her arms she could only think of her own mother. Of how lost she felt whenever her mother refused to give her the attention she needed.

Melinda knew that she'd never let herself do it to that extreme, but she also knew that there were times when she got too involved in the chase, in another person's life. Jim didn't complain much, but that would change when they had a child. When he wasn't the only person she was leaving at home.

She had other obligations, she tried to convince herself. To be responsible doing what she did, she couldn't add another person to the mix. It was hard enough already. And if that person counted on her for everything... if that person needed her love like others needed oxygen... if that person needed to be watched, held and cared for 24/7... Melinda wasn't sure she could handle a baby and a job and... doing what she did all at once.

She just wasn't, not yet at least.

* * *

He went through the motions of checking the rig before going home.

Supplies and Medications.

He climbed into the back and sat on the gurney as he carefully checked that all of the required supplies were there. Everything seemed to be in check.

Ventilation and Airway Equipment for basic life support transportation. Check.  
Immobilization Devices, four in each size (toddler, child, small, medium, large and extra large). Check.  
Bandages, sterile burn cloth, triangular bandages with a minimum of two pins for each bandage, and four gauze rolls. Check.

He went over each item separately until everything was in it's proper place and order.

Melinda came to mind as he saw her picture pinned to the visor.

Why couldn't she just be ready? Why did he _always_ have the one pushing, and not just for a child. In every aspect of their life he was the one pushing for her to do something. It hardly ever was the other way around. He was always the one pushing for her to open up, to talk about what she was feeling and why she was feeling that way.

He knew she'd be ready, one day, he just hoped to God it would happen before it was too late.

Half a tank of gas, he noticed and knew that would be enough for the rest of tonight. It was already pegging to be a slow one, he'd just fill it in the morning if someone else didn't.

He popped the hood open and realized the oil was fine and quickly bent down to inspect the tires carefully. The tire pressure was fine and there were no leaks or anything.

 _Good. Now he could go home,_ he thought.

* * *

As they stumble through their bedroom door, their hands and mouths flew everywhere at once.

He was unsure what to do first, where he wanted her or how he wanted her, he just knew after today, he needed her. He was overcome with his need for her as he pushed her up against the door once it slammed closed behind them and her answering moan as his hands found her ass and his mouth found her neck were all the assurance he needs that this was what she wanted too.

"I love you," she breathed when there was a break in the kissing and she arched against him as his hands maneuvered under her dress and came into contact with the center of her thighs.  
"I love you too," he whispered as he slipped his lips along her neck, leaving behind a wet trail of marks that were just not hard enough to leave a love bite on her throat.

She whined when his fingers stilled, her hips lifting to meet his frozen hand. Instead of indulging her, he removed his hand and pinned her against the door with his hips, her own legs being the leverage she needed to stay upright.

"God I love you so much," he mumbled before his lips attacked her neck once more, this time travelling to the neck of her dress as his hands peeled it away. "And I love this dress. But it's got to go," he moaned as it slid down her arms and another moan of approval left her lips. She was not wearing a bra. "Oh Melinda," he almost whimpered.

There was something about Melinda's body, something about getting intimate and getting to make love to her over and over that brought him to his knees each and every time. Three years later (since it took them a year to reach what he considered the Holy Grail) and he was still brought to his knees each and every time he was brought face to face with her intimately like this.

It was less than manly to whimper and moan the way he was, but just the sight of her made him hard as a rock and he couldn't imagine ever feeling this way about anyone else, ever. She'd always been it for him and now, after today's events he just can't wait to physically show her again. She moaned loudly as his lips wrapped around her nipple, and her hands found purchase in his hair as he sucked and tugged on the sensitive bud with his teeth.

She was halfway there already and if she didn't have him soon, the burning that's coiling and quickly expanding in her was going to take her over. She thrusted her hips against his as he switched breasts, and at that moment she became desperate to feel his skin against hers, you know, skin to skin contact is very healing.

She was desperate to feel him under her bare hands so she reached for his paramedic shirt and tried to tug at the material as the fire started to rise.

"Jim," she mumbled incoherently as his kisses finally left her chest and head for skin of her ribcage. "Jim, oh please," she whined as her hips raised off the door enough to rub down on his hard erection through his pants and she wanted to cry from want.  
"Please what?" He smirked as he lifted his head.

She bit her lip as she looked at him as his hands wandered to the apex of her thighs once more. He was watching her intently, his eyes are dark with lust and want and at that moment she knew he was just waiting for her to say the word. His fingers were dancing around where she wanted them most and even the briefest touch sent her teetering on the edge.

"Please...I need you," she breathed. She managed a deep breath as his fingers danced away, but he kept staring at her. "Make love to me," she whispered.

In a flash he pulled her away from the door and suddenly she was on the bed that minutes ago seemed so impossibly far away but right now felt like half a step. Suddenly he was naked on top of her and as she widened her legs so his hips could drop between hers.

She was breathless and emotional all at the same time.

She brought her hands to his cheeks as he took a few quick breaths, his own hands occupied with positioning his erection at her sensitive entrance.

"I'm still ovulating," she said softly and he met her eyes.

He knew what was asking him to do.

He hadn't needed one of these in an eternity, and that was a good thing in his mind. He reached over and grabbed the silver foil between his fingers and gulped. He slid it on and looked at her.

Everything today had culminated to this.

As she stared in his eyes as his hips snap back and he entered her, an impossible moan tumbled from her lips as she arched into him, her legs wrapping around his waist to pull him close.

He was her husband.  
And she was his wife.

She wanted to cry as he pumped into her, head buried in the crook of her neck as he sucked on the sensitive skin there, his hands dancing along her hips and behind her to pull her closer as he made love to her. She closed her eyes tightly as she arched into him, her own hands digging into the skin of his back as she tried to just get closer, be closer.

He was all she's ever wanted, all she will ever need and although she'd had him for years, this intimacy, this knowing that he would be hers forever has sent her high enough that she just couldn't get enough.

Somehow she managed to push him over onto his back as the snaps of his hips seemed almost _too_ slow, and there was a confidence that comes with sitting astride her husband.

He placed her hands on his chest as she rolled her hips, his answering moan all she needed. She stared down at him as she continued to move over him, the coil in her own stomach tightening and tightening as she stared down at him.

He was too good for her, too handsome, too kind, too accepting. No one has treated her as well as he does.

She just couldn't move, everything burst right there and she was frozen.

He met her in a flash to pulled her towards him as he let her ride out her orgasm, before gently rolling her onto her back to catch her breath before he continued. She could see it in his face, he was so close, and she wrapped her legs around his waist once her high had tapered and edged him on.

His thrusts were sharp, and soon the pinch on his face was appearing and she knew he's close. Until they became even sharper and suddenly he was collapsing on top of her, both of them needing to catch their breath as the feeling of being so connected left them spent.

He long overcame his fear of squashing her after they made love, and this position with him on top of her, still buried inside of her with her limbs wrapped around his has become his favourite.

There were lazy kisses to give and receive, and in this exact moment he felt like he couldn't possibly love her any more.

He rolled onto his back after a few moments, taking her with him but in the process slipping out of her. She cuddled on his chest, her head buried under his chin and her left hand splayed across his stomach. He ran his fingers through her messy hair as they both lay still of the moment, taking in everything that's happened in the last hour, the last day, even the last months of just being married.

"I'm so glad you said yes," he murmured against her hair once the words came back to his mouth after another few minutes.

He felt her lift her head off his chest. He lifted his own slightly, so he could look back at her and he just felt everything in her stare. He has always felt everything in her eyes. He just loved her.

"What else could I say?" she sighed. "I remember how I thought..."  
"You thought I was going to break up with you," he completed as his fingers got tangled in her hair. She could only nod, and he saw tears burning in her eyes suddenly. "Don't cry."

All she offered was a slight smile as he gently wiped at the tears that threatened to spill.

"Mel, you're it for me. You've always been it for me. Do you know how long I actually had this ring before I gave it to you?" He picked up her left hand and held it up, running his thumb along her rings, paying special attention to her engagement ring. She bit her lip as she looked at him. "I bought it six months after knowing you."  
"You didn't propose until our third anniversary," her lip trembled as she looked at him. "What..."  
"What was I thinking?" He swallowed. "There was never the right time. When I bought it you hadn't told me about your gift yet. I knew you were holding something back and this would only scare you. The time never came. Then I was going to ask you when we went to Mexico when Andrea won that stupid raffle and took us with, and I thought that was cheesy and you would expect it. Then you broke your ankle and you scared the living crap out of me with that ghost and... Honest, life just got so busy and I know that isn't an excuse but I had been carrying this around for so long, but one thing never changed. I always wanted to give it to you. I did change it a bit over the years, upgraded the diamond and added the inscription, but it had always been your ring. I always wanted you to be my wife and share life with you and..." he started to ramble as she stared at him, much like he always does and always has when it came to her and big speeches like this.

He was waiting for her to say something, waiting for her to do something so he knew she wasn't mad he didn't ask earlier.

"I'm glad you waited," she whispered. His jaw hung open as he looked down at her and waited for her to complete her thought. "You let me be accustomed to you, to tell you about my gift and my father... your proposal was perfect. I couldn't imagine it going or feeling any better. We're married now, almost a year and even though the last few weeks have been some of the most emotional and nerve wracking because of all this ghost crap..."

His heart broke when he heard her.

"Never. I love you for you, your gift included." He smiled at her.  
"You wouldn't dump me for a blonde who can only see ghosts in the movies?" She asked.  
"I don't think I could last a week for a woman who isn't you." He reassured her. "You've always been it Mel and I'm so sorry if make you think that I could possibly even look at someone else, let alone love someone as much as I love you."

She smiled gently, but still brought a finger to cover his lips.

"I know," she grinned. "I'm sorry about earlier. You're perfect and I'm just scared to have a little ghost buster. I love you so much."

He grinned before he leaned in and captured her lips with his, his mouth moving slowly over her lips as the kiss builded until he was turning her on her back once more. She smiled up at him as her fingers played with his hair.

"One day," he said as his lips find her neck.  
"Yes, one day." She reassured him. "Soon, one day soon."

They were cheek to cheek now. Jim still had his hands on either side of Melinda's body, and her fingers were locked in his hair.

"Take it off," she looked at him.

He reached down to throw the condom off and to somewhere he didn't care.

She felt his face turn slightly, and he brushed his lips on the spot right underneath her ear.

"You sure?" He murmured.  
"I love you, whatever happens... happens." She gasped.

Melinda tilted her head then until her lips found his. She sighed into his mouth as his hand came up and cupped her cheek. Their lips moved together in that familiar dance, his tongue slipping past her lips in a kiss that was slow and deep. It was as if they had all the time in the world as they spent minutes just kissing.

And then he pulled his lips from hers and pressed them to her neck. She tilted her head back, allowing him more access as he found her pulse point and gently bit down. A breathy sigh escaped her lips when she felt him suck on the patch of skin before his tongue smoothed over it. He had just marked her, but she didn't care. His lips continued down her collarbone, gently nipping and sucking across her skin. He kissed from one shoulder to the other, his lips passing over every inch of skin.

She could only sigh in pleasure as his large, warm hands followed the same path as his lips.

When he finally reached her chest, he kissed around the mound of one breast, his tongue tracing the curve of it before his lips closed around her nipple. She moaned then, arching up closer to his mouth as her fingers locked in his hair once again. He moved to her other breast but cupped the one he had just left. Massaging gently, his tongue passed over her opposite nipple before he sucked on the skin directly above her heart, marking her there as well.

The feelings all suddenly became too much then, and his name spilled from her lips.

"Jim," she breathed out, her eyes closing.

When she opened them again, she found his ocean eyes flashing in the dark with something that she couldn't name. Then his lips were on hers again, his kiss hot and demanding. She body wrapped around his, desperately trying to get as close as possible. His hand slipped between their bodies, his fingers familiar as they danced up her thighs and in between her legs. One finger slid up her slick folds and he kissed her again, deeply.

"Melinda," he murmured against her lips, his voice husky and heavy.

Her hips arched as she tried to get closer to his hand. He slid a finger inside of her warmth as his thumb pressed down on her center, and Melinda clutched at his shoulders.

He knew her body so well, knew exactly what she wanted.

His lips attached to her neck as his fingers worked slowly inside of her. She forced her eyes to stay open, watching him watch her as he brought her just to the edge before he pulled his hand away. Melinda's breathing was hard, coming out in quick gasps and her body was on fire, but pleasantly so. She reached up to kiss him again, her lips demanding her own passionate kiss. She slid her hand down until her fingers were wrapped around his hard length, and he groaned, his eyes snapping shut.

They opened a moment later and connected with hers when she guided him to her entrance. Gazing into each other's eyes, he slowly pushed inside of her. A low moan spilled from her lips when she felt him inside of her once again, stretching her in the most delicious way possible. She would never grow tired of how he filled her, of how gentle he was, never pushing her farther than she could bend.

She bit her lip, letting the feelings of being with him again simply wash over her. He leaned forward then, taking her bottom lip between his teeth and nipping gently as his hips began to move. His thrusts were slow and long, stroking deep inside of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer as her arms snaked around his neck.

"More," she demanded, her hips rising to meet his.

He kissed her again, groaning into her mouth.

The fire burned brighter, the heat building within her body in a way that was almost too much to bear. Her hips rolled against his, her fingers clutching at his back as they moved together. He brought his hand up, cupping her cheek again and tangling his fingers in her hair. His lips nipped at hers as his hips started moving faster. She matched him, arching further into his broad body as he pumped into her.

She could feel herself careening towards the edge, towards the moment of completion that she needed so badly. His name spilled from her lips again, gasping this time as she tightened around him. Her eyes clashed with his and held as her body throbbed, falling over the edge and climaxing. He thrust into her again before he felt her body clamp down on his and pull him over with her. He spilled deep inside of her, his lips at her neck.

Once again, the only sound in the room was that of their breathing.

He rolled onto his back, keeping one hand on her body. He didn't try to pull her towards him but she went anyway, curling up on his chest as her eyes closed.


	18. Miss Fortune

**A/N: This episode, minus the carnival fun with Andrea and Mel was kind of mediocre. The ghost, I did like him, but his brother was very irritating and annoying. I did kind of like Lillia, mainly because the actress was on The Client List. Lol Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Why was it that wherever she went, a ghost had to show up? Was she not allowed one free day at the carnival?

She guessed not.

"Hey, what is it?" Andrea's voice called her from the ventriloquist ghost.  
"Well I guess whoever joins the carnival, stays with the carnival forever." She said to her, almost like she was a robot.  
"Come on, let's go see Jim and Bobby." Andrea said wrapping her arm around hers and guiding her away.  
"Ok," she nodded and they walked toward the dunk tank.

Her brain practically fizzled from any previous thought.

Jim, sitting on the dunk tank in a tank top with his firefighter's overalls.

She found herself in awe of his hard, lean frame as he sat before her. She tried to tear her gaze from the outline of his magnificent form, but it was no use, and his devilishly handsome features shifted into a knowing grin as he caught her staring.

He was hotter than hell, her husband.

Slick as he was in the shower, wet hair smoothed back being a huge unexpected turn on, thinking about licking away the water droplets, remembering what they usually do when wet together.

She wants to be wet with him. Join him there.

Get soaked by him.

Let him ruin her clothes.

The fabric of his shirt fit too tight over his muscular body. His shining ocean eyes caught hers and they smiled at the same time.

"Come on it's for a good cause. Come on Mitchell, you weak link. The target is right, right there." Jim eggs the man standing behind the yellow tape. "You're gonna miss it. You know you're gonna miss it. Come on Mitchell, throw the ball already."

The man launched the ball and it promptly hit the target, sending him into the cold water below.

She couldn't help but laugh, Jim hated cold water.

But he hadn't come up yet, he usually came right up when the water was too cold.

Today wasn't a good day to mess with her with water.

He'd be okay, she reminded herself.

"Jim," she muttered, the fun and laughter gone now, taking a step toward the tank.

When he didn't come up a second later, her heart beat faster.

Suddenly, he broke the water, slicking back his hair, his muscles ripping as he leaned on the rim.

"Oof, man, would warm water have been too much to ask?" Jim laughed and hovered in the water.

She marched toward him, on a mission to scold him for scaring her, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

He was just too hot for her to process a fight, even a small one.

"I know baby, it's for a good cause, but you scared me." She lightly slapped his hand and  
"It would've been just a good of a cause if they'd dunked me into a jacuzzi." "How you two doin?"  
"Great!" Andrea exclaimed as she talked to Bobby.

He looked at her, really looked at her, knowing he'd see right through her act if she wasn't having a good time.

"I'm fine," she said and leaned in, briefly kissing him. "I'm fine. I just need to eat. Ooh funnel cake, want some?"  
"Bring two," Bobby asked.  
"Yeah, sounds good." Jim said and kissed her again.

She grabbed Andrea's hand and tugged her away and toward the funnel cake table.

"I'm gonna bring Jim and Bobby theirs and be right back," she said paying for two and walking away.  
"Alright! I'll just... go play a game again." Andrea called out as she run over to Jim and Bobby.  
"Two funnel cakes as ordered," she presented them to the two men standing before her. "Can I borrow him for a ferris wheel ride?"  
"Sure thing, Mel." Bobby said taking his as Jim dried himself off a bit.  
"Don't eat mine Bob, I'll kill you." Jim warned as he touched Melinda softly, not wanting to get her wet.

The ferris wheel was quite large, in fact larger than any other they had ever ridden before, even with being in Grandview and this being a cheaper traveling carnival.

Someone would be able to watch the entire city from it's peak. The seats were made out of red leather and there were some colorful lights going around its perimeter, while cheerful music made it appear like the most joyful ride in the park.

"You sure you want to get a little wet?" He asked as they waited in line, shivering a bit from the wind switching.  
"Already am," she laughed and kissed him as they waited in the line.  
"Oh yeah?" He laughed.  
"You look too hot sitting up on that bend in this tight tank top and overalls, hair slicked back and egging that guy on." She explained, looking up at him. "I was practically drooling just looking at you."  
"So hot," he laughed and brought her lips to his. "Come on... I know a place."  
"Not enough time," she whispered, his hands trailing down over her waist, down her hips to claim her ass in his hands, kneading it .  
"You doubting my skills?" He asked, moving his mouth to her neck, sucking softly.

Her knees went weak and she grabbed onto his shoulders tightly to keep herself from falling..

"No," she laughed. "I just really wanted to ride the ferris wheel with you, and you're working, otherwise I totally would."  
"Fine," he sighed. "Later. I'm going to make love to you later."  
"Oh yes," she whispered and ran a hand through his damp hair, slicking it back. "Come on."

She pulled him onto the leather seat and pulled the safety bar in front of them.

The ride let off and they were soon at the top, and what was predicted was definitely true.

They could see over the whole town as the ride came to halt, the seat rocking a little.

"Grandview is so beautiful," she looked over the town, its lights sparkling.  
"I know something more beautiful," he whispered.  
"What could me more beautiful than this?" She asked.

The sky was a dark and cloudless ocean of midnight blues and twinkling whites and yellows. There were a thousand stars. They looked so close that she could touch them and take them.

She could feel the coolness of the breeze and taste the salty sea air.

"You," he smiled at her. "No view compares to how beautiful you are."

She moved forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes zooming from his eyes to his lips and back. He grabbed her hips and gently pulled their bodies together, and she bit her lip eagerly. There was heat between them, radiating, making them glow. The carnival music faded from their hearing, and she pressed her lips to his.

For a moment her brain shut down, and the pure ecstasy of their shape-shifting mouths swirling and puckering with each delicious smack of escaping air overcame her entire body. The sweat on her brow cooled; the hairs on her skin stood vigilant, waiting to shoot off into space at any moment. His arms pulled her closer while her fingers traced their way through the back of his hair while his explored her godly curves and thighs.

He couldn't wait to get her home.

* * *

He'd carried her through the door and up the stairs.

It was like their first night in this house all over again.

"How's your ankle feeling?" He asked and set her down on the bed.  
"Swollen and sore," she winced as his hands graced over the joint.  
"I'm gonna go get you an ice bag," he said kissing her softly on both the lips and the ankle.  
"Wait," she grabbed his arm. "Help me out of these clothes first."  
"I don't think that's a good idea,' he chuckled.  
"I can't do it on my own," she sighed. "As much as I'd like to try, I don't want to hurt my ankle more."

He wasn't used to her asking for help.

What he was used to pushing his help on to the point where she gave in, but Melinda surrendering this easily was not common.

She had something on her mind.

"What's on your mind?" He chuckled.  
"A nice bath with my husband?" She said simply, smiling slightly. "I thought it would be romantic to take a nice, relaxing night in the bath by the candlelight, maybe a glass or two of wine. You had a long day of volunteering at the dunk tank, you deserve to warm up in a hot bath with your very sexy wife."  
"I do?" He asked.  
"Yes," she purred. "Maybe we can even have a little extra fun?"  
"I'm liking you tonight." He laughed, capturing her lips in a kiss. "Let me just go get the wine and matches."

He took a step away before she threw a pillow at him.

"What now?" He laughed.  
"I want you to help me get out of these clothes," she whined, grabbing his hand and luring him back over.  
"I will, just let me go get the wine and matches," he said pulling away after, yet another juicy kiss. "I'll be back soon. I promise."  
"Jim Clancy, don't you dare leave this room." She muttered. "i just want you to strip me and make love to me."  
"Oh I will," he said walking toward the door.  
"Don't make me hop myself over there because I will do it." She shouted, playfully almost "I was just saying we'd take a bath to get you to stay in here and strip me. God I want you Jim, right here. Right now."  
"I know, i was just trying to annoy you." He laughed and pulled his shirt off, jumping on the bed and gently pushing her down, making sure her ankle was still nice and propped up. "You scared the hell out of me tonight."  
"Payback," she stuck her tongue out.  
"Well then I'll just have to withhold my attention and go get the wine and matches because we'll have make love later." He moved himself off of her and she swiftly pushed him underneath.  
"Not happening," she laughed and kissed him, wincing slightly. "Ugh that hurt my ankle more than I thought it would."

She traced her way down his body, making sure to tug just a little harder on his nipples with her teeth.

She'd never truly loved the trail of hair that lead her to her prize.

Her hands moved of their own accord, dropping to the front closure of his jeans to unfasten them. Her nimble fingers slid the zipper down and palm him through his boxers.

His head hit the opposite counter, and his hands gripped the sheets reflexively.

"Well, but what about the bath?" he laughed softly; his tone didn't sound concerned at all.

She just pushed his pants and boxer-briefs down to free his cock and grinned. Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she pumped him until he swelled in her grasp completely, then she licked the head of it deliberately. His head tipped back as he issued a soft groan, and Melinda continued to coat his swollen flesh with her saliva, licking a trail around the ridge, then down to the base and back to his head. His hand released the counter to fan through her hair, palming the back of her head, and she opened her mouth to take him in farther.

Jim inhaled sharply and dropped his chin to watch her. He always liked to watch her. She tried to maintain eye contact with him as much as possible; his pupils grew fatter, and his nostrils flared, his mouth parting as he breathed deeper, faster. It made her wetter. Hollowing her cheeks, she sucked him harder; her hand pumped the base of his shaft, and her tongue pushed her pooling saliva around his cock as she bobbed her head. His eyes were heavily lidded now, and he moaned faintly, guiding the movement of her head with his hand.

When she took him completely, his head fell back, and he groaned louder.

"Fuck," he hissed, untangling his hand from her hair to grip the sheets again.

His hips began rocking forward, thrusting him into her mouth.

He always gave her the best she'd ever experienced in her life, and she did the same for him.

"I'm gonna come," he warned throatily, lost in a haze of euphoria, and his head tipped forward again to watch her; he struggled to keep his eyes open, and she locked gazes with him, her lips wrapped tightly around him.

Her hand gripped him cock more firmly too, her mouth and fist connecting almost violently as she sucked on him. She instinctively thrust her tongue back to catch his semen as he came with a grunt, his hips undulating toward her face. His cock pulsed in her mouth as he emptied himself, and his eyes were squeezed shut, his own lips parted as he gasped for air.

Once he was done, she swallowed and slid his cock out of her mouth, licking her lips. His cheeks were red, and his dark blue eyes were glassy, but he smirked at her. She felt her face flush, smiling shyly when he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"You're turn," he grunted and pushed her onto her back.

A definite long night ahead for this couple.


	19. Fury

**A/N: So little Jimel, so let's change that ;) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

This ghost was getting serious, he was actually able to put the judge in the hospital.

Ghosts are definitely getting more power, and are definitely learning about it. It's almost as if they are taking energy from another force, they seem to have an endless supply these days.

It's begun to frighten her for not only herself, but for Jim and their life together.

She would never forgive herself if something happened to him because what she can do.

Her day was too long, filled with too many instances where she couldn't breathe properly, but didn't see Eli. She'd seen his son and grandson today, but there was no indication of where he was at.

Didn't he want to see his family again?

* * *

When she'd gotten home Jim was there slaving over the stove to make some delicious dinner and she couldn't help but smile.

This is what made her days tolerable, to know she'd come home to this man making her dinner or waiting in bed was all she needed to go through the day.

He'd instructed her to go upstairs and change, that something was awaiting in the bathroom for her.

She complied, and climbed the stairs to see a bath drawn for her, candle lit around the room and a glass of wine sitting next to the tub.

Of course, she'd climbed in and enjoyed a long soak before she saw him enter the room with a tray.

He couldn't be serious? What is he, an angel?

"Andrea said you had a long day," he said dipping a strawberry in chocolate.

"What about dinner?" She asked as she bit into the fruit as he fed it to her.

"That can wait, it's still in the oven." He explained as he popped the rest in his mouth.

He leaned in for a kiss and she tasted like the sweetness of strawberries and chocolate.

Setting the tray down as they kissed, he only broke it to tear his shirt off.

"What are you doing?" She laughed before he kissed her again, standing up slowly to hold the kiss as long as he could before he unbuckled his belt let his pants drop, dragging down his boxers and sliding in behind her.

"Enjoying my time with you," he whispered against her neck.

She felt his growing erection against the curve of her ass and smiled.

It wouldn't be long before he'd be ready, and he'd make love to her, washing the day's worries from her mind.

She let Jim take the sine glass from her and take a sip, setting it down by the strawberries as she slid under the water.

"Oh, what are you doing?" He moaned as her mouth grazed against his shaft as she resurfaced, hair slicked back and flattened against her skin.

His arms wrapped around her like snakes slithering around their prey, gripping her lightly and pulling her close to him.

The creased corners of her lips perked up as she discovered the embrace of Jim's body against her own; her hands sliding up around his neck, resting on his shoulders as she ran her hands through his hair; gently massaging with the tips of her fingers which made him quiver. Gripping his hair lightly she almost pushed his head into hers, their kiss synchronising; locking together between each breath.

He slid down his hands from the embrace, clenching them when they reached her behind.

"Jim…" She whispered to him as his body moved on top of hers until she was on her back against the tub, water spilled out the side and put out a few candles.

The icy feeling from the wall sent caused her exposed body to be covered in goosebumps as the cold shuddered her, pausing the kiss for a brief moment before it was able to continue. He brushed his cheek past her, and reached her neck, nuzzling at the skin of her neck before his teeth met it with the light pressure of a bite. As the air left her lungs, a slight cry joined her breath from the sensation of the bite, her hands gripping his hair from the release.

The water squelched between their bodies, the passionate aura coming from one and other filling the atmosphere around them, water drifting away from their lips as their breath became heavy. Jim pushed forward, lifting Melinda up slightly by her ass. His body tensing, her body melting from the first momentous push.

Melinda let out a slightly louder cry, the electrifying pleasure pulsing through her body. She wrapped her arms over his shoulder to keep her steady as he found his rhythm, the sound from her vocal cords escaping her mouth as her breath was pushed out of her. She slid her legs around his waist, giving him the leverage for him holding her steady as he pushed into her.

They found their rhythm and became one, her entire body melting into his.

His mouth found her pebbled nipple and he captured it between his lips, leaving marks of adoration all over them.

"Jim," she gasped, her hand raking down his back, her own mark of love for him.

He moved faster, pushing farther into her depths as his lips caressed hers.

"Melinda," he moaned against hers.

He kissed all around her face; her nose, each cheek, her forehead until reaching her luscious longing lips again.

"Almost," she whispered, pulling him closer as water trickled from the sides.

He gave a final push, releasing the energy from himself into her; her stomach pressed against his as the kiss was broken, her back arched from the shooting climax which took over, a long moan from each of them as their bodies tensed for those moments of pure ecstasy.

Their breath feel heavy as the sweat from their bodies blended with the water from below; their gaze meeting as they rested upon each other's forehead, giggling and staring with love and nuzzling noses in the last moments of their passionate moment.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her deeply.

"And I love you," she smiled and pushed his damp hair from his face.

* * *

Afterward they stayed there for a long moment before going to finish dinner together, after that they watched a movie and laid in each other's arms, enjoying the time they are sharing that is far from usual.

No ghosts had bothered her, and no fires or accidents pulled him away. They were just together, happily and blissfully together.

He even carried her up to bed, laying her down and making love to her once more.

They met in the familiar fashion, quickly getting each other ready and naked before taking their time as he entered her, only dressed in his tank top. With each thrust, she twisted in pleasure as they climbed to their oblivion. It wasn't long before she came with a scream into the night, pulling him as close to her as possible and he followed soon after, smothering her with kisses before rolling onto his back in exhaustion.

They laid there in silence and she reached over, her hand open to him and he laid his in hers, squeezing her hand softly.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you," he yawned.

He felt the bed lift and watched her collect her nightgown, smoothing it over her body as she climbed back into bed. He rolled onto his stomach and turned his head to look at her as she settled into bed next to him, her breasts jumped with each moment and he smiled, feeling himself harden at the sight of his beautiful wife.

Surely, she would want to go again before actually going to sleep. He felt sleep try to take him as she spoke, pressing his face into her arm and kissing it.

"You know what's weird? Eli never showed himself today," she said softly, running her hand up and down his arm as he pulled her closer to him.

"Maybe he's all gone," he muttered, a guy could wish right?

"That's what I love about you, forever an optimist." She said moving farther up his arm with her hand. "When I was standing on that square I could see Eli's anger on his son's face. They make the same expressions when their mad, which is all the time."

"Well the man's father was killed, probably in a hate crime." He answered, opening his eyes to look at her and adjust himself onto his arm so he could see her better. "Nothing was done, that would make me mad too."

"I know. I get it, I do." She replied. "It's just so sad to see such an angry little boy. That hatred passed on from father to son."

"That's the way of the world, my love." He whispered, running his fingers up the side of her neck lovingly before kissing her arm. "Always has been."

"Maybe if I get them together that will smooth things over," she said looking over at him. "I could get the judge and Randall together and he could explain what happened. Maybe it would break the cycle."

"Right." He laughed. "Then maybe you could get started on that pesky little Gaza strip thing?"

"Oh shush," she says pushing his head into pillow. "I'm being serious. There is a reason I am pulled into these people's lives-"

"I know," he whispered and kissed her arm again and again. "Some things are just beyond your help, Mel. Some people all they want to do is hang onto their hatred."

"Well I won't know unless I try," she jumped from bed and grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"You mean now?" He asked, kneeling before her in bed.

"Yeah, I can't sleep anyway." She answered.

"I'm coming with you," he moved toward where his jeans were flung from earlier and grabbed them.

"No, you might scare him off." She said shimming into her jeans.

"This does not sound like a guy who scares easily," he said standing over her, a foot between their heads.

"Please?" She asked and looked up at him. "There's nothing you can do."

He sat on the bed as she dressed herself and his dreams of making love to each other all night faded away.

"Wait. What are you saying?" He sighed. "I'm just supposed to sit here and wait while you go out in this weather to find this whatever he is?"

"No. Don't wait," she said pulling her nightgown off, baring her chest to him as she pulled on her shirt, not caring about a bra at this time of night. "Get some rest. I'll be home soon."

He could barely think as he watched her nipples harden before him.

This must be her trick, turn him on and then leave.

"I love you," she whispered and kissed him before walking past, closing the door behind him.

He watched the door close behind her and sighed, flopping onto his back.

What was he going to do about her?

* * *

The leaves scraped over the ground and took small flights into the air.

As she sat on the bench, she waited for Eli.

She could feel his hatred from a mile away. He was near, or was hiding himself.

Lightning came like a rip in the inky night, as if behind the dark canvass was a brilliant light just waiting to flood through any crack no matter how small.

It lit the space around her and she stood and saw the black hat man sitting at the bench just feel away from her.

"Who are you?" She yelled and took a step toward him. She felt a shock run through her body and she grabbed her chest, wincing. "What do you want? What have I done to you?"

The thunder moments after seamed to crack the air, as if the very heavens might split apart. It rolled like the ash cloud of a volcano, becoming a rolling booming rumble. It declared to all the raw power of nature and gave fair warning of the wrath that was to come

She spun around to see Eli standing there filled with hatred as usual.

"I know what happened to you, to your wife, and to your son." She yelled as the lightning cut crazy zig-zags into the black sky, each of them painting a previously unseen path in the sky.

"What about my son?" Eli asked, taking a step toward her.

"He's in pain. He's filled with hatred," she yelled.

"He should be," Eli grimaced.

"You're wrong! It's gonna ruin his life." She exclaimed. "I can help you talk to the judge-"

"I'll talk to the judge when he's long gone and dead like me! And that's what I'll make him before he ever sees that dedication to his good name." Eli yelled.

"Don't do this there is a better way," she muttered.

"I'm taking him!" He ran at her and then turned her around "And you better stay back or I may have to take you too. There are people over here who are very interested in you."

All of sudden Jim's arms wrapped around her embrace and the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no lightning. Melinda's mind was at peace, all the fear Eli had just instilled in her was gone. Her love for him was pure.

Unselfish. Undemanding. Free.

She felt his body press in, soft and warm. This was the love she'd waited for, prayed for. She inwardly thanked God and hugged all the tighter. A love like this was to be cherished for life. Finally, she was home.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here." He whispered as he pulled her closer "Don't be mad."

"I'm not," she cried. "Take me home."

"Yes ma'am." He picked her up, kissing her deeply. "You okay?"

"No," she sobbed into his chest as he carried her to the truck. "Just leave my car. I'll drive it home tomorrow."

"What happened?" He set her inside and hopped in.

"I'm so sorry," she pressed her face into his chest as he kissed her head.

"Don't be," he whispered and then cupped her cheek. "Babe, hey, look at me." She slowly looked up at him and her body shook as the tears rolled down her face. "Hey, hey, what did he say?"

"He said that people on the other side want me. That they want me dead," she sobbed and he pulled her close.

He was never letting her go, not for tonight at least.

He pulled her closer, against his muscular chest, his arms feel like iron bands around me, anchoring her so she didn't fly away. But she liked it, she wanted more of him. She grabbed at his shirt trying to tug it free. The iron bands disappear for just a moment but she didn't care, his shirt was missing in a second. He pulled it off so quickly she didn't even see his hands. She saw, instead, his glorious body. Muscles making the most delicious hills and valleys, a thin river of black satin hair trailing to beneath his belt buckle.

"What are you doing?" He laughed and then she licked her lips.

"We're gonna fuck, right here." She purred and pulled him close.

She felt like an animal, she wanted to growl and devour him, stalk those hills and valleys one at a time.

His fingers were at her shirt and he pulled it off, laying her down over the seat and kissing her.

She reached to unbuckle his belt, her fingers working it off in two seconds. She pulled his pants off completely, so easy for her. Second nature to her. He helped her take her pants off too, sliding them down her legs, trailing his fingers across her skin. He leaned down on top of her and pulled her closer.

She could feel his fingers trace across her collarbones, between her breasts and down to her navel. He stroked her body in long smooth motions, and felt like she was turning into some quivering liquid, like she was shivering with cold but was so warm she must have a fever.

When his mouth touched her breast she was lost to coherent thought. He was kissing her now, passionately, roughly. Dimly she felt his hand move between my thighs and ghost over swollen lips. Her body arched to his touch and he chuckled, kissing him deeply.

In a moment of better clarity, she reached her hand down for him, to touch him as he was touching me. When he groaned into their kiss, she smiled. He whispered for her to open for him, she know what this meant but instead of feeling shy she knew that this was what she wanted tonight and separated her thighs. She felt his hand, cup her, probing. She felt her body respond, her hips arch, and a deep moan came from her throat.

He kissed her softly and asked her again if she was sure this is where she wanted to be.

"Yes," she whispered and then kissed him.

She could feel him shift and slide a finger over her folds again, opening them. The tip of him pushed gently at her, and then he slid in, slowly and carefully.

His lips moved swiftly from her collarbones to her neck, and the touch of his hot breath on her cold skin shot through her mind in burning lines. He bit just above her clavicle, then higher to just under her jaw. He sucked at her as if he were drinking from her and his body shuddered. He could see the rise of her breast pressing against his chest, and his hips moved sharply, pushing him deeper into her.

His left hand seemed to move of its own volition, slowly, as he stared at the absolute perfection of his wife's breast in the moonlight. Teasingly, he circled the small, hard, pink nipple with his pointer and ring finger. He had never seen anything more beautiful than his wife's body. He cupped her breast enclosing it within his palm, feeling the frisson of the nipple in the centre of his hand.

He moved more quickly, her fingers gripping his back to the point where it was beginning to hurt. She began to moan, suddenly and loudly, an animal noise echoing in the small vehicle. He thrashed on top of her, his breath rasping, and she leaned back as waves of shockingly bright pleasure rocked her body with his every movement.

She brought his mouth to her, he could still taste the sweetness of the chocolate they'd had earlier, and she pressed her forehead to his as her hips bucked wildly, her breath on his face as her stared into her contorted features. He could feel every minute difference of pressure inside her, slick and muscular and heated with fever.

Her nails dug into his skin and pulled him closer, pressing down into the seats. His movements increased even more. She threw her head back, yelping from the back of her throat. She buried her face under his jaw.

He felt his own orgasm peaking through him.

It blocked his senses in a sizzling white noise. A purity of pleasure and nothingness.

She screamed against his neck. His hips came clamping down on her and he felt his own cry echoing hers involuntarily. Her legs shuddered as she came. She moaned again, pressing her lips to his as he thrusted shallowly into her, milking every second of pleasure for them both.

He looked down at her and rolled sat up, pulling her with him.

"Take me home now?" She gasped and her mouth was open in a beatific smile.

"Yes, round four," he whispered and kissed her, reaching for his boxers to pull them on as she sat in the passenger seat, the time was past midnight and she didn't care if she was naked at this point.

She knew he'd enjoy the view and that turned her on even more.


	20. The Vanishing

**A/N: Just let me dump my bucket of tears I've spilled over this damn episode *dumps Atlantic Ocean***

* * *

It was dark and cold. She could see her breath hanging in the air in front of her. Her forehead stung not only from the cold but because of the gash she was sure were there from running through the woods and hitting her head on that rock. She'd black out for who knows how long, but she could still hear the hum of her jeep.

If she could just get there and would be able to call for help.

She could call Jim.

Now limping, her eyes started to lose focus. She was losing too much blood. She could feel the warmth of it running down the side of her face. She had to get to car and it had to be quick. She was losing too much blood and was becoming weaker by the minute. She tripped just feet from her car and gave up. She couldn't pull herself up.

Just as she was starting to give up, she heard it.

A car door had closed.

"Are you okay?" A woman's voice called out.

It was so close but she couldn't see anything but the sky and her own breath. She didn't have the energy to move her head and see. The woman was getting was getting closer and closer every second. Every step she could hear as her head throbbed and black spots appeared in her vision.

"Melinda!" The woman cried and ran to her side. "Oh my god, Mel."

She saw the woman's face clearly as her vision focused.

"Andrea?" She whispered.  
"What did you do?" Andrea grabbed her phone. "Shoot. No signal."  
"Go, go get signal. I'll be okay right here," she breathed.  
"Are you sure?" Andrea asked and looked at her forehead. "Jim is gonna be a mess. Should I call your mom?"

She shook her head no, not having the energy to speak as she slowly felt breathing getting harder.

"Tell him I love him," she gasped and Andrea quickly made the call a few inches away from her.  
"Don't go making dying wishes on me. You're going to be fine, Jim will make sure of it." Andrea reminded her.

She smiled and lost more of her sight. Every little hiccuped sob she took in could be her last.

She was so close, but just when she thought she could make it, she blacked out.

The ambulance was there in no time, minute probably, but she didn't know. She just watched as they tended to her, as Jim arrived and was held back from the scene, pushed back into his truck by Sulley screaming for her.

She appeared in front of him and felt a pull somewhere else, but she needed to make him realize she was there, that she was okay.

That she's try to come back for _him_.

"We're losing her!" Bobby yelled as they pushed her into the ambulance. "Charge the paddles to 250."  
"I love you," she sat in his lap, even though she was just fading through him. "I'll love you until the end of time."  
"Did it just get cold or is it just me?" Jim shived as she touched him.

She felt the connection to her body grow weaker and realized she needed to reassure him quickly.

"It's a little chilly tonight, but just go to the hospital Jim. I'll drive her car back." Sulley reassured her. "Bobby won't give up and will give her the best care."

He rolled his window up and looked in her direction.

"Mel," he whispered and smiled as she traced her fingers along his cheek.  
"Jim," she said like he could hear her, but he knew she was there and that was good enough. "I want to touch you and it's killing me."  
"You come back to me alright?" He broke down and she watched as he cried. "Please. I need you."

And with that she left, she needed to regain the connection to her body.

She woke up to voices yelling.

"Welcome back Mel," Bobby said holding up his pocket flashlight. "Follow the light."

She tried to, but lost focus and winced.

"Jim-" She started to say but was cut off by Bobby.  
"Don't try to speak, save your energy." Bobby said as the doors opened. "You'll be ok."

She nodded once and then there was an oxygen mask going over her face and everything went black.

* * *

Jim sat there, head in hands, tears rolling down his cheeks as he waited on news of her.

Of how Melinda was doing, if she was even alive.

She'd let him know if she was, wouldn't she? She'd let him know she was okay earlier. She'd let him know if she could.

He hated this waiting game, how he'd been sitting her for five hours already just waiting for word on whether or not his wife was still breathing, heart still pumping blood through her body (or if it was being shipped off for transplant because he knew she was donor, how could she not be?).

He needed to stop thinking about organs being shipped off, he really did.

 _Keep positive Jim_ , she'd tell him and squeeze his hand from her tiny one.

Her eyes would look up at him like he was her whole world and she'd smile, just the slightest smile and he'd be complete mush, pressing a kiss to somewhere on her face because _she_ kept him positive.

 _She_ kept him happy. She kept him _whole_.

* * *

Light coma, his wife was _lightly_ comatose.

If that was even a real thing, as Beth had said, comatose is comatose. There was no light to that state of where his wife was at this moment, and to think he didn't even kiss her goodbye that morning.

The last time he'd seen her was when he'd rushed out the door bidding his I love you with a blown kiss as he rushed to work, late because he'd been too tired to get up to his alarm the first twelve times he'd pressed snooze.

The last conversation he'd technically had with her was one sided, she was a ghost or having one of those out of body experiences she'd explained to him.

His phone vibrated and he looked down.

He'd never even realized she'd left him a voicemail. He'd pressed his phone to his ear, and realized he just needed to hear her cheerful voice one last time before he saw her like this.

 _"Hey Jim, I know you're working late, but I just wanted to make sure you knew where I was since you couldn't make it to lunch today. Andrea invited me to some poetry event to meet a new guy she's seeing and it's a few towns over. Baybridge, I believe and I should be home before you're back, but just in case I'm not keep the porch light on for me? I love you."_

He could just tell she'd blown a kiss to him as he'd done that morning before the call ended and she'd thrown her phone into her purse next to her. He just could.

And that made his heart warm.

* * *

He saw her lying there, a gash to her forehead was stitched closed and her whole right eye was bruised and she had a cannula to help her breathe and the bed seemed to swallow her whole.

She was so tiny compared tot his bed and it broke his heart to see her so fragile, so vulnerable.

His little face slackened; his brow furrowed - eyes darting about in concern as if he weren't alone.

"Are you here?" Jim whispered, pulling his chair up to the side of the bed.

He couldn't risk hurting her more by lying with her until she was awake, which could take days, weeks or even months. It was hard to pin point when comatose patients would wake, and that kill him because there was nothing they could do but play the waiting game.

"Jim, why don't you go home and get some rest, eat and shower." Beth touched his shoulder as he stared at her naked hand, her rings were removed.  
"I'm fine," he answered.  
"You've been here for hours," she kneeled down next to him. "She wouldn't want you to hurt yourself to stay here."  
"I'm not leaving until she's awake, even then I won't leave her side." He explained. "I'm going to be another person to just leave her. I won't abandon her."  
"I don't think I've ever heard you with this tone. What are you implying?" She asked.  
"What I'm saying is you're not close with her, you haven't spoke to her since her birthday and before that you hadn't spoken in years." He stood up and grabbed the door handle. "You didn't even come to our wedding, but she invited you out of respect because no matter how much you or her father have hurt she still loves you."  
"You're just hurt," she muttered and zipped her jacket.  
"I am, but I've always felt this way about you Beth. Anyone who has hurt Melinda as much as your our her father deserve to hear this one day." He muttered. "Now go, you're not wanted. I'm not the one who called you."  
"Fine, but i'll be back. She's my daughter." She replied. "I have a right to see her."  
"You sure? Or did you lie about that piece of information too," he shut the door behind her leaned against the door.

God, what was his problem?

He was scared, downright scared that he'd lose his wife and he'd taken it out on Beth. Not that what he'd said wasn't true.

All she did was lie and hurt Melinda. She'd abandoned her emotionally when she needed her most and basically left her for the school bullies to eat alive.

He spotted the bag with her clothes and purse in it, grabbing the bag of jewelry. There sat her rings, necklace and earrings.

He plucked her wedding rings out and walks to the chair.

"Mel," he whispered and kneeled on the chair, leaning against her softly. "Can you hear me? Don't leave me," he looked up at her and slid the rings down her finger, losing his energy to just look at her like this anymore. She was too fragile and he was hurting too much. "Don't leave me."

She laid his head against her chest, the soft beat of her heart relaxing him.

She was alive and breathing, and that was all he needed to relax, for now.

* * *

She flicked her eyes open and the light stung her eyes, she'd been asleep for too long for her eyes to function clearly so soon.

She'd also felt her head throb and remembered what happened, how she'd fallen after chasing after that ghost family and seeing that quarterback, how she'd heard the laughing man before she'd tripped, and Andrea, coming to her rescue.

Everything flooded back as she felt some exhale against her chest.

Jim.

She slowly lifted her hand, unable to truly feel anything yet as her fingers just barely touch him, but she needed to feel him, to not just dissolve through him like a ghost. But to touch him, his hair, his face, everywhere because she was real again. She wasn't just an apparition reaching out to hi, she was Melinda Gordon, his wife.

His head bounced up and he gasped.

"Jim," she mumbled and her eyes were adjust enough to open, to see him again.

His handsome face looking at her like she was the only woman in the world, intense blue eyes, almost mystifying and his smile as she woke up to him again.

"I saw it," she whispered as he held her hand in his lightly. "I saw the light."

He laughed softly and kissed her, then her forehead and then her lips again.

"You're awake," he whispered and kissed her again, and again, and again.  
"Okay, you're smothering me with kisses." She giggled and wrapped her arms around him.  
"I didn't kiss you goodbye," he whispered. "Never again will I not kiss you goodbye, even if we're mad. We have to kiss goodbye."  
"If you're going to kiss me, then kiss me." She smiled. "None of this cheek and nose stuff."  
"Mel, I love you." He said softly. "I really do."  
"I love you too Jim." She whispered.

They were so close she could feel the heat of his body warm hers, could hear the soft whisper of his breath as he exhaled. She inched closer, and felt his hand encircle hers again.

She looked up at him, his soft blue eyes already locked on hers. He ran his fingertips up her forearm, leaving a trail of goosebumps blooming in their wake. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek, his thumb running along the curve of her cheekbone. She nestled into his hand, feeling his warmth seep into hers.

He leaned in, lips parting slightly, his eyes flitting down to rest on hers. The kiss was soft, but urgent. Their lips moved together, both needing and wanting to never be separated like that again, to never not be able to touch again.

* * *

Melinda walked through the front door of their home, weary after a long day of sitting through what was a day of owning a store, and she'd forgotten how much energy it took for her actually move boxes and go through them. Luckily, Jim had been there to keep an eye on her, to make sure she didn't do too much, didn't overwork herself.

He came in behind her, locking the door behind himself and shedding his jacket.

"You two must be hungry," Beth said as she walked in front the living room with a book in hand.  
"Umm actually mom I'm fine. I'm exhausted and want nothing more than to curl up in bed and sleep." She sighed as Jim helped her out of her coat, kissing her cheek. "I do need a glass of ice water."

She crossed the floor and filled a glass with ice and water before kicking her heels off by the door.

"Oh. Alright," Beth said softly. "Well I better get going."  
"Just spend the night, Jim will set you up in the guest room." And with that said, she climbed the stairs.  
"Uh, yeah." Jim said softly. "I just finished redoing one, it's all set up and the fresh paint smell should be aired out by now. Follow me."

They all trailed upstairs and Beth was shown where she would be staying, a nice modern guest room Jim had finally gotten completely set up since they moved in almost a year ago.

"There are towels in the hall bathroom if you need to shower," he yawned. "We're just across the hall if you need anything, just knock."

She nodded and he backed out of the room.

Things were still chilly between them.

He probably should apologize, but the thing was he didn't feel sorry for what he said.

"Is she settled?" Her voice called out as he stepped in the room, pulling his shirt off.

He surveys the scene before him, noting the patterned scarves draped over the lamps, dousing the room in dappled light, the sandalwood incense burning lazily on the dresser, and the red sheets that now cover the bed.

Low, sultry music could be heard and he grinned, but lying on her side in the middle of the bed, with one leg bent and the other straight out in the typical centerfold pose, was Melinda and that's when he dropped his shirt.

She was wearing white lace...if you could call it wearing because the piece of fabric wasn't covering anything.

It was _short_.

It was _so_ short, covering nothing of her ass, of the fine curve there, one leg up, showing everything. Jim inhaled, stepping closer, inhaling a little, getting more of the fine details. How the neckline plunged, the double straps from a bra beneath it, how the cups of the nightie brought her breasts up, and damn it, this nightie was covering nothing and yet it was incredibly frustrating to see what it did cover, her toned stomach and her delectable breasts. Everything he wanted to see, to taste right then was covered.

And he moved closer, only wanting to touch her thighs, ghost his fingers up her legs, peel them apart.

"I love you, Melinda." He whispered to her reverently, his icy blue eyes melting as they meet her warm brown ones.  
"I love you, too, Jim." She whispered back then leaned forward to capture his lips in a soft kiss full of promise.  
"Maybe you should close this next time," Beth closed the door and she pressed her face into his face.  
"Kill me," she muttered. "That was even worse than if your mom had walked in back after her first visit to the house."  
"Oh your mom didn't see anything," he wrapped his arms around her lithe body, pulling her close and laying them both down so he can deepen their kiss.

He reveled in the feel of his tongue rasping against her own in a slow, fluid rhythm as his hands caressed the soft skin of her cheeks and lost themselves in the wild tangle of her messy braid.

"You braided your hair," he whispered. "I love when you braid your hair."  
"I know," she smiled and sealed their lips together again. "I work quickly when I'm motivated to have a good time."

Her own hands explored the expanse of his broad chest, running her long fingers through the downy hairs peppering his skin like a roadmap that eventually trails down below his navel. She let her nails drag along the sensitive skin of his ribs, smiling as he hissed his approval when she did the same to his nipples.

Suddenly, an idea came to her and she broke their kiss, giving Jim a smoldering look before quickly grabbing her glass of water. She grabbed one of the rapidly melting ice cubes and smiled.

Sensing her intent, Jim rolled onto his back, allowing her free reign as she straddled his thighs. Smiling deviously, she leaned forward and slowly ran the ice around his nipple before using her tongue to lap up the droplets of water from his skin. She took her time, working each thrusting nub until they are rigid and she can feel his hard erection jutting into her.

Then, wiping her hands on the sheets, she leaned forward again and took one of the frozen peaks into her warm mouth and suckled it, hard. Jim's back wrenches off the bed, almost knocking her to the floor, as he moaned and clutched her braid.

"Fuck, Melinda. It feels so fucking good when you do that." He let go of her hair she brought her lips to his.  
"This is your present, for having to deal with me in the hospital." She kissed down his chest and smiled. "Relax, you're so tense."

Satisfied that she'd worked him into a frenzy she slid further down his legs, pulling off his briefs as she goes, then purposely letting her lace clad center drag along his erection, making him buck against her in a futile attempt to relieve the tension coiled within him.

"Christ, Melinda! I wanna make love to you so bad right now." He begged in a strained voice, trying to flip her onto her back.  
"No, this is my night." She purred as she wriggled out of his grasp, earning a huff of frustration from him. "Don't worry you'll get your wish. I'm just not done playing with you yet."

She climbed off of him and began a slow dance around the bed, moving her hips to the song currently playing. As she moved, her clothing dropped to the floor in a sensual strip tease. When it came time to remove her bra, she turned her back to Jim, watching him over her shoulder with playful eyes as she tossed it to the side. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the red sheet and wrapped it around her like a robe, then pulled off her panties and threw them across the room as well.

Finally, she turned around and walked back toward the bed, her hips swiveling sinuously to the seductive beat of the music.

When she was finally within arm's reach, he grabbed her and pinned her to the bed with his thigh across her stomach. He took her wrists in one hand and held them above her head, effectively trapping her. With the other hand, he slowly pulled the sheet down to reveal her perfect breasts, heaving with the labor of her excited breath.

"Now, _this_ is sexier than whatever you had on." He breathed before swooping down to capture her nipple in his waiting mouth, just as she'd done to him previously.

His other hand found the glass and he selected an ice cube of his own, placing it between his teeth and skating down the slender column of her neck to let the water pool in the hollow of her throat.

He continued on, trailing icy droplets in the valley between her breasts then circling around one luscious mound, ascending to the turgid peak. He took the frozen nub between his teeth, biting with just enough pressure to make her hiss and writhe beneath him.

Before the ice melted completely, he swirled it around her navel, then slowly descended to her aching core, drawing out the moment as long as he could as she begged him for more. Finally, he moved his hand and she cried out as the ice came into direct contact with her swollen center. He took his time rubbing the ice along her lower lips, then back up to the hidden bundle of nerves. It melted quickly, but not before further enhancing her arousal.

"Jim-" She gasped.  
"Shh, I'm just not done playing with you yet," he repeated her words as he kissed her neck, marking her for everyone to see, to remind them both of this night.

He watched as her eyes roll back and her head whipped from side to side in ecstasy as he slide his fingers, now cold from the ice, inside of her warmth, keeping his thumb in direct contact with her greedy center. It wasn't long before she was panting his name, begging for the release that seemed just out of reach for her. He leaned down, capturing the rosy peak of her breast between his lips and razed it with his teeth, giving her the extra sensation she needed to shatter completely.

"Jim! Oh my God!" She couldn't contain her shouts as her walls fluttered and clenched his thick fingers as wave after wave of euphoria washed over her, leaving her spent and boneless.

She didn't care that her mom could hear them at this point. She just missed her husband, of being able to just be together like this after a week in the hospital. And to think that there was a time they'd both thought they may never see of feel each other like this ever again.

She shivered as he slid his fingers out, leaving her feeling suddenly empty. With hooded eyes she watched as he licked every drop of her essence from the digits, moaning as if it were the sweetest nectar.

He released her wrists and she immediately buried her hands in his soft black waves, pulling him into a deep, searing kiss. She could taste the tang of her arousal on his lips, which served to ignite the fire inside once again.

She pushed the arm Jim was balanced upon, causing him to fall onto his back and she wasted no time throwing her leg over his hips to straddle him. She took advantage of the position and rubbed her moist center along the full length of his hardened erection. He gripped her hips tightly, pushing himself up while pulling her down to achieve the most friction. She began to move faster as more wetness seeps out of her, coating them both in the slippery dew of her renewed arousal.

He lifted his knees, and as she slid back the angle of her hips changed, allowing his full length to enter her swiftly, to the hilt. They both paused at the abrupt change in sensation, chests heaving and flush with desire.

With a wicked grin, she began to move again in short, deliberate strokes in an attempt to draw out the inevitable. Each pass along his length brings her center into direct contact with his skin and she could feel another orgasm building inside of her.

Sensing this, and just knowing his wife all too well, Jim slid his hands up her sides to cup her breasts.

"That's it, Melinda. Let me watch you come again." He encouraged her by rolling her straining nipples between his fingers and matching her movements with gentle thrusts of his own.

He brushed against the sweet spot deep inside with each pass and it was not long before the room was filled once again with her impassioned cries as she shattered and fell apart around him.

The feel of her slick walls clutching him was enough to send him racing to the edge. He grabbed her hips again and began to thrust faster, holding her tightly as he slammed into her.

"Let go, baby. Come for me, Jim." She crooned as he reached behind and gently tugged on her ass, grunting in appreciation.

His hips whipped up against him once, twice then he stilled, coming in great spurts inside of her as he shouted her name to the whole world.

She laid on his chest, as she smoothed the sweaty waves from his forehead, he lifted his head and gave her a look full of love and devotion.

"That settles it." He started softly, his voice hoarse from his earlier shouting. "You are officially the sexy one in this relationship."  
She kissed him on the nose then replied with a smile, "I think I can live with that. But I don't ever want to not be able to touch you ever again."  
"Deal," he replied as they kissed again, deeply, not letting anything interrupt them.


	21. Free Fall

**A/N: John was so jealous lol... ;) Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

John had been nagging for over an hour about how there weren't enough calls, not enough adrenaline for him to sleep at night.

Nothing less than ten calls a night, but Jim had lived through that phase. Where he'd get thirty, sometimes even fifty calls a night and it was exhausting. Jim had moved to Grandview in a heartbeat just to settle down more with Melinda, to not have as many responsibilities as he did in the city, but still be able to help, to save people.

He'd barely listened to have of what John was saying, just trying to keep himself busy for the next three hours when he'd get to go home.

How he'd make sure Melinda realized just how much he'd missed her.

John on the other hand couldn't stop complaining. Maybe he just wasn't fit for this job, for it's slow points and the sacrifice.

"Do you feel like you're wasting your time?" He asked looking up at the younger man.  
"That's not what I'm saying, it's just- woah." John gasped, his adam's apple jumped as he smiled, looking straight forward. "I'd like to help her find her way home."

John happened to be looking at Melinda.

And that didn't settle nicely with him.

"Settle down, sparky." He said, meaning for it to be a jab as he turned to meet his wife.  
"Hi," Melinda said cheerfully, moving up to her tiptoes to kiss him.  
"Hey," he whispered and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, tasting the pasta sauce she'd had with her dinner.

Was it pasta? No.

It had a more earthy taste to it, he could taste the oregano and basil. Pizza.

She'd had pizza without him.

His mind flew back to her as her hands lingered on his face for no more than a minute, but he smiled at her. He'd missed her way to damn much today and he wasn't going to let his jealousy over food get in the way of that.

"John, this is my wife Melinda. Mel, this is keg of adrenaline is John Gregory, probationary paramedic." He explained softly, tucking his arm around her.

The look on John's face was pure jealousy and that made Jim a little more smug than usual, he knew how lucky he was.

"Welcome," she said softly, holding out her hand to him.  
"Hi," John said softly, his eyes lingering to where her camisole was tight against her test as they shook hands.

But she face him, and gave him a paper bag with a smile.

She knew him all to well, he sometimes would forget to eat and it was Melinda who always saved him with a visit and some food.

"You brought me soup!" He exclaimed and smiled.

Even when eating pizza from Lento's without him, she always remembered to bring him something.

"Yeah, I thought you could use a visit." She smiled up at him.  
"Umm we're gonna take a little break. Hold things down for me?" He said smugly as he turned around with Melinda and walked away.

John couldn't help but stare at her.

How did Jim get _her_? He didn't seem like a guy who could get someone to marry him, but sleep with? Definitely, but marrying and settling down didn't seem like the Jim he'd known for six weeks.

John watched as Jim slung his arm around his wife, snug on her waist. What a goddamn waste. His hand would be creeping down to cup her ass, feel the swell there, needing to feel the firm arch. God, that would be so good.

Her hips were swaying from side to side, unfortunately covered by her oriental coat, but nothing could hide how the fabric, falling from her shoulders, got caught by her buttocks, showing what good form she had.

But those jeans were so tight. He wished she wasn't wearing the coat.

"Starin' at Clancy's wife?" Della Nichols walked to behind him, patting his back. "Not a good way to make friends rookie."  
"Della mind your own business," John muttered.  
"I'll mind my own damn business when you take your eyes off Mel's ass." She grabbed the defibrillator and loaded it into the rig.  
"How do you know her?" He scoffed. "You're about as new as I am."  
"Everyone knows Jim's wife, he never stops talkin' 'bout her if you get 'em started." She laughed. "And I transferred from Alabama when Jim moved from the city with her. I went to their wedding, everyone at the firehouse did."  
"I bet she doesn't love him as much as he loves her," he muttered. "No woman like that is a one man type."  
"You met her what two seconds ago and didn't she even look at your pretty face?" She laughed. "Don't act like she'd ever go for you. They only look at each other, trust me. I didn't know Jim was taken when I first got here. I learned the hard way."  
"All I'm saying is if I had a wife with an ass like that I'd never let her out of my sight," he answered.  
"I'm gonna go eat this soup, Del." Jim cleared his throat, and looked at John harshly. "Cover for me?"  
"Of course," she smiled and he walked into the firehouse. "Oh, he so heard you. Go fix your mistake."

John sighed and walked off, following Jim into the kitchen.

"What do you want John?" Jim asked grabbing a clean bowl and pouring the chili Melinda had brought him inside. "I don't want to talk about my wife's ass if that's what you're here about."  
"I'm sorry," John muttered, grabbing himself a water.  
"No you're not," he laughed. "You're sorry I heard you."  
"Jim," John sighed.  
"I've listened to you enough today. I don't want to hear what you have to say anymore." He set the bowl in the microwave, two minutes. "Especially not about my wife."  
"I've got one thing I need to say," John said.  
"What?" He folded his arms across his chest and leveled his glare.  
"How'd a guy like you even land a woman with a body like that?" John said seriously.  
"Go," he pushed him out of the kitchen. "Before I fucking kill you."

He stood there as John left and rubbed his face.

John wasn't exactly wrong, Jim loved Melinda's body too, and damn, he could get lost in the jiggle and the taut parts of her, the swells and shadows, but even when he did, he was always so conscious of the other things.

How her eyes crinkled when she truly smiled, the sound of her voice when she was worried, when she was about to cry, when she was laughing so hard that neither of them could breathe.

And when he thought of her, when he thought of his favorite memories of her, they were physical, hell yes. They were when he was so deep inside her that he felt like they'd never come apart, and he could feel her breath, and she was clinging to him, so thankful for him, for this moment, so crazy in love.

And it was when she cried on another's behalf, when their pain was her pain, when she was so happy to cross another ghost over, not because the ghost had been a pain in the ass, or because she was feeling their thankfulness, but because she saw the beauty in it; she still truly loved the gift she'd been given, never took it lightly for more than a moment.

It was because whenever she talked about her past, and he heard the pain in it, and he wondered how on earth she'd managed to get past it before he came along, and he hated that she'd gone through it alone, but she had. She'd overcome, she'd surpassed, she'd risen above, using what little faith in herself and her gift that she had left.

And, somewhere along the way, she'd become the woman that Jim loved, with the biggest heart and the deepest soul he could imagine. And did he love her body? Hell yes. But whenever he was touching her, holding her, kissing her, he was always so damn conscious of the person she was, above all of that.

* * *

He'd come home after eating his chili, Bobby had stopped by and he'd convinced him to cover the rest of his shift because he couldn't handle seeing John the rest of the night.

For him to be making conversation about his wife's body all night would drive him crazy, and he'd probably get himself fired.

He'd even stopped to get her a bouquet of roses, wanting to surprise her with more than just his presence tonight. He could see the food spread out over the counters, but there was no Melinda. The knob turned quietly and he entered the house like a mouse, wanting to surprise her.

He kicked his boots off and climbed the stairs quietly, hearing her soft humming from the bedroom.

Beautiful.

He noticed her putting away laundry, folding his underwear and hers. She giggled and held a lacy pair of red ones to her body.

"Hmm... later?" She asked herself and he stepped into the room, careful of the squeaking board and wrapping his arms around her.  
"These are new, when did you get them?" He asked and kissed her neck.

She tensed against him for a second before smacking him playfully.

"You liar!" She laughed. "You said you wouldn't be home until ten, it's seven thirty."  
"Bobby covered," he kissed her neck once more and presented the roses. "For you."  
"You're too kind," she smiled and took a smell of them. "They smell so good."  
"Fresh roses are the best," he smiled and took the piece of fabric from her. "You never answered my question. When did you get these?"  
"You got red and white ones? These had to be expensive... Jim," she looked up at him. "How much were they?"  
"The cost doesn't matter," he reassured her. "You're worth every penny in the world."

She smiled and set them down, hugging him tightly.

"I'm glad you're home. I don't want to be here without you, it's too cold. I need to be close to you." She whispered. "I got them yesterday, they were on clearance."  
"Try them on," he said softly, kissing her again.  
"I've got stuff to do," she laughed and wiggled out of his arms. "Plus we need to clean out the fridge."  
"Later," he whispered and then slapped her ass. "I love your butt, have I ever told you that?"  
"You have," she moaned. "What happened at work?"  
"Nothing," he kneeled and worked her jeans down, pressing a kiss to her thigh.  
"Was it the newbie?" She gasped as his hand dipped up between her legs, rubbing her center for a moment before moving to tease her folds and pushing a finger inside her. "Did he say some-" She gasped and then moaned. "Oh Jim, he did."  
"Mmm…" He hummed in approval. "Someone is ready for me."  
"Jim-" She whispered as he stood up, letting his fingers slip from her and slipped himself out of his zipper.

She opened her mouth to respond again but he pushed inside her from behind at that moment and her jaw went slack in pleasure, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"Jim…" She whined, and grabbed the bedpost, his hips rocked against hers fluidly, his fingers working her needy clit. "Oh Jim."

He pressed his lips to her neck and left a bright red mark.

"I love you," he replied and kissed her neck, another red mark.  
"Oh god," she moaned.

His hips started to beat against her backside a little faster and she could feel every muscle in her body start to tense up.

"Shit, I'm going to come," he panted.  
"I-I'm close," she replied, her walls gripping him tightly as he grasped her ass tightly.

She gave a quick strangled shout as the pleasure crashed over her and she felt his warmth filling her. He collapsed against her back, his weight pushing the air from her lungs.

Their sweaty skin stuck together as they trembled and came down from their high together. She felt him kissing her neck and shoulders and trail of her spine, whispering how much he loved her.

"What did he say?" She whispered and pulled away from him, touching his face.  
"He just kept talking about your ass and that I didn't deserve you," he muttered and kneeled down, his face against her thigh. "And this is my ass, you're mine. No one but me can talk about you like that."  
"Yes, I'm yours." She answered and then laughed. "Stand up."

He stood before her and kissed him.

"We need to rewash those clothes now," she muttered.  
"Crap," he sighed.  
"Yeah, should've thought that one through." She laughed. "But you're too good, I don't even care right now."

She sunk down on her knees, never breaking eye contact with him. The wetness gathered between her legs at an alarming rate as she licked the tip of him with eager strokes of her tongue, working the base of his shaft with one hand.

"Fuck…" he groaned as she took him all the way in her mouth, his cock hitting the back of her throat. He could feel her tongue working frantically over every inch of him, sucking him like it's the greatest thing she's ever tasted. "You look so good with me in your mouth," he panted, trying to keep the movements of his hips under control, trying not to thrust to deep into her mouth. "So beautiful."

She released him from her mouth and moved over to bed crawled on to it on her hands and knees, pushing the laundry out of her way and to the floor. His mouth practically started to water at the sight of her on all fours, her ass jutting out just for him, waiting for him to take her.

He was the only one who'd ever see her like this.

"Fuck you're so hot," he groaned, moving onto the bed behind her. He slapped her hard on the right cheek with an open hand and she only just barely flinched. He slapped her again and she whined a little in protest but pushed herself back towards him. "You like that don't you?" He asked, his hands dipping beneath her to her folds, feeling just how dripping wet she is from him, always and forever him.

He took himself in his hand and leaned down to kiss her cheek, a bright red hand mark there. He slid into her to the hilt.

"Oh fuck…Jim…." she mewled in ecstasy rocking her hips back into him, demanding more. His hand reached around her front to find her clit.

He made furiously hard and tight circles as he began his assault again, slamming into her at a frantic pace.

She laid flat against the bed, his hands holding her hips to him as she balled the blanket in her fists. He patted her again on the ass and he could feel her get even wetter as her insides started to tighten around him. She came with a shout and went limp beneath him.

"I'm not done with you," he panted, continuing pounding into her. He reached out and grabs her hair, pulling on it so her head was tilted back. "I love you."  
"Jim…" She whined, her sensitive center aching from the onslaught of pleasure. "Oh god, you're gonna kill me." She smiled at him and he couldn't help but return it. "So good."  
"Give me another one…" he said, his hand finding her clit again, working the bundle of nerves expertly. "Come on baby, I know you've got one more... I can feel it."

The pleasure spiked hard and fast and she could feel her release about to crash over her. This time when she came she milked his release from him and he filled her up, rocking his hips in time with his spurts and falling against her back.

They collapsed on the bed together, breathless and trembling. He moved off her so his weight wasn't crushing her and pressed kisses to the back of her neck.

She turned to lie on her back and face him. It was in moments like these, when she felt her heart swelling with the love she had for this man. It's moments like this that she had learned to never take for granted.

"I love you," she informed him, trailing her hands through the ends of his black hair.

He smiled that beautiful smile, like he could never get enough of hearing her say that and kissed her.

"I'm yours, never forget that." She whispered and then kissed him again.


	22. The One

**A/N: This episode just kills me every time I watch it, and it's not just because of Andrea. It was written so beautifully and I have dealt with a lot of bad and mediocre season finales, and this one... it just did everything right. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chaos was all around, the smell of death and destruction infused into the air.

Jim couldn't stand finding dead bodies anymore, there wasn't a single survivor.

Not one.

He'd sat down on a heap of dirt and took a breath, just one before his wife squatted down before him. He knew she shouldn't be out here, but he didn't care. Her hand on his arm comforting him, giving him the spirit to continue his job.

"You doing alright?" She whispered, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand out to him.  
"I don't know, I just want to find somebody." He sighed. "Just one person, alive."  
"There's still time," she touched his forearm softly and looked over at John. "How's the new guy doing?"  
"He's hanging in there," he answered. "He's still a little green around the gills. But is it me? is there something wrong with me that I can do this without flinching?"  
"Hey..." she grazed her hands over his hair and brought his gaze to hers. "There is nothing wrong with you. You just know how to keep going, and that is what the need around here."  
"Well I better do that, huh?" He muttered and looked at the ground, a piece of clothing under his dirtied boots.  
"Hey," she whispered and brought her lips to his.

It was a simple gesture, and made him want more.

But she was pulling away, making him stand up and leaning against him lovingly.

"Check in with me later?" She asked, her eyes soft and warm.  
"Yeah, I love you." He answered, bringing her lips to his one more time as he caught John's eyes on them.  
"I love you," she said softly and turned to leave as he walked away.  
"Satisfied?" John asked sifting through some more clothes. "I get it. You're still mad."  
"Mad doesn't even begin to describe feelings about you," he muttered and walked past him.  
"Then get mad Jim, hit me. Take your anger out or something, don't just walk away be a coward."  
"Hitting you solves nothing John! You still said what you did about my wife, nothing will change that." He chuckled and sifted through some more trash. "Now if kissing her and loving her in front of you makes you jealous that does something."

He was frustrated, not at John, but at the world.

Who would let 238 people die in some freak accident? How was that fair? How was it fair that he may have lost a friend because of this.

He kicked the side of the plane and a crushed licence plate fell off.

FBR-752

He noticed the rusted blue car and crouched down. This wasn't happening, he couldn't be the one to find her car. Melinda had told him about the strange things happening with Andrea, and he didn't want to believe it. He wanted to believe that he could find her.

That he could find his friend alive.

He looked into the car and braced himself from what he knew he'd see and fell to his knees, leaning against the car and just cried. He knew he had to stop, hold it in until he got home tonight, but he just couldn't bottle it up anymore.

"Jim what is it?" Will ran up to him and crouched down.

The man himself knew Andrea, he'd gone on a double date with Jim and Melinda, his date being Andrea and although they didn't work out in the long run, they still remained friends.

"I can't do it," he answered. "I can't get her out of there."  
"Who?" Will stood up and looked inside the car, taking a step back and looking down at him. "I'll do it. I'll make sure she's okay. You just go home, take some time with Melinda and come back when you're ready."

He nodded and stood as a gurney was brought over and he walked to his truck.

He'd seen Melinda leave already, run from the scene as if she was being bombarded by someone, by more than one of those someones. She'd be home, they'd get through this together because he sure as hell knew he couldn't do it without her.

* * *

The kettle whistled as she ended her phone call with Jim.

He was coming home, sent home after finding Andrea.

Her heart broke and she fell to the floor, clutching the mug to her chest as she cried softly.

Her fault. Andrea's death was her fault. If she hadn't told her about the flight's take off, she would've never left, but Andrea would've never forgiven her for not telling her.

But she would've been alive, holding a grudge, but alive.

Jim was next to her son, whispering sweet nothing into her ear, calming her down and picking her up into his arms.

"It's my fault," she sobbed.  
"Never, this was not your fault." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You didn't cause this."  
"I could've saved her," she shook in his arms as he climbed the stairs and entered their room. "I should have never told her about the plane, about my gift... she would be alive Jim."  
"You don't know that," he whispered. "God, Mel this is not your fault."

He needed this to end, for her to feel better.

"Hey... hey," he kissed her neck. "Let me make you feel better."  
"Jim I'm not-" She muttered and curled up onto her side.  
"Let me try," he brought her lips to his and rolled her onto her back.

She looked up at him, the emotion in her eyes threatening to burst as he looked down at her with all the love he had to offer.

How had she gotten so lucky?

He moaned into her mouth and lowered himself more onto him, his erection throbbing against her thigh.

"Today was terrible," he groaned and worked her jacket off her shoulders, reaching up to hang it up before working her turtle neck up her torso.

He loved how beautifully these tops showed off her figure. It hugged her chest as he leaned down to kiss her bellybutton and her abdomen.

"I love you," he whispered and then helped her shimmy out of her dress pants.

He moved his fingers slyly to hook her panties and drag them down her legs, pressing kisses to her thighs and knees.

He kissed her center delicately, and the look on her face was almost enough to make him come and overwhelmed with the heat of her and thinking about what it would feel if it was him instead of his mouth between her thighs.

"Jim," she gasped and grabbed his hair, bucking into him.

She shattered against him and laid against the bed ridden with sleep.

He helped her pull her turtleneck up and kissed her cheek.

"I love you," he said softly as he rolled onto his back.

He knew he needed to give her a minute, that she may need more time today to come down from her high. Today was one of the worst days in a long time.

She'd lost her best friend, and he'd lost his good friend.

But it was the feel of soft lips dancing up and down his sternum, a velvety tongue swirling around his nipples before tracing a long, damp trail down to her belly button that _actually_ brought him to attention.

"Mel?" He grunted out softly, lifting her head from the pillow in time to see her warm doe eyes lock on his mischievously.  
"Hi," she said innocently, as though it was the most normal thing in the world for her to be crouching over him, nipping at the skin over his hip bones.

She brought his pants down quickly and discarded them before palming him through his boxers.

The fabric was caught in her teeth quickly and pulled down his legs and thrown to the floor with the rest of his clothes.

"What are you—" He said, before he felt his eyes roll back in his head when her fingers curled around his stiff erection.  
"It's your turn," she responded simply, her hand squeezing the base of his shaft before dragging itself all the way up to it's very tip.

He felt a gasp escape from the back of his throat past his lips and stared down at her again when she paused ever-briefly before repeating the action slowly, methodically, blissfully.

"Melinda, let me make love to you," he groaned out as her hand moved a little faster, stinging just slightly against the dry skin of his member.  
She shook her head. "Not tonight. Just lay back, okay?" she murmured, and a second later, her hot mouth enveloped me.

He could go down on a woman all day long, torturing her with his tongue and his fingers and his lips until she fell apart with his name on her lips, but allowing a woman to do that to him? Maybe it seems archaic, but that sort of power over him was electrifying.

 _Just lay back_

No one before her had ever put it so eloquently. No one had ever been so passionate with their want for him that he'd consider letting them get on their knees before him and make him come for them. But Melinda—Melinda already had that power over him and maybe it was because she was his wife, but somewhere deep down he knew it was because his love for her was true.

"Christ, Melinda…that feels…" He gasped and touched her hair lightly, just petting her softly.

She moaned against him as she bobbed her head up and down, swirling her tongue around and around the top like it was an ice cream cone and she needed to finish it before it melted. His hips thrust upwards in time with her mouth pushing downwards, and soon they had a delicious rhythm built up that made him delirious with pleasure. It was the sort of pleasure she can only truly give him—maybe because she knew so much about him. Maybe because she understood him better than he'd allowed anyone else to.

"Oh God," he cried again.

Her nose was pressed all the way up against the patch of hair under his navel, and he could feel her throat contracting and constricting against him. His hands found their way into her mess of loose hair around her shoulders. He certainly didn't mean to yank as hard as he did, but it felt so impossibly, deliriously good that he couldn't stand the idea that it'll end; and if she kept that up, she'd absolutely finish him.

He pried his eyes open wide enough to watch her lave her tongue across him, just as her right hand trailed up my chest and scratches at the skin of his pec.

"I want to watch you, Jim," she whispered when her fist began to pump in earnest, paying special attention to the very tip. "I want to watch you come for me."

His head fell backwards on the pillow. Her hand was a vice, but an all-too pleasant one. Her tongue lapped at him every so often, either flat and smooth across the underside or quick and teasing against the slit. But it was her hand, her lithe, graceful fingers that finish him. His neck arched upwards and his core shook as he felt the first burst of his orgasm shoot against his stomach, and he cried out her name as she milked him of the last bit of pleasure.

His eyes finally opened and seek out her face. Her eyes are locked on the little pool of semen on his abdomen, her bottom lip locked between her teeth. The look on her face was baffling at first until he recognized it as reverence.

"You come just like anyone else, you know," she whispered quietly, her hand still gliding along him absentmindedly. "But I love the way you say my name when you do. God…"  
"Mel, that was incredible," he said, reaching out towards her, aching to return the favor to both of them.

He could feel himself softening against her palm, but not entirely. In fact, he swore he felt it twitch as though it was coming back to life for her.

She must've notice. Her lips pulled upwards and she laughed, a genuinely beautiful laugh that he didn't expect to hear. He hoped it would be gone for long.

"You're still hard," she whispered.  
"You're still playing with me," he pointed out, hissing when her mouth made connection with his hip bone and suckled gently.  
"Can I do that to you again?" She asked, tonguing over the spot she'd bitten.  
"I don't think I can…" He stammered, but still feel himself twitch again in her hand.

Her breath was hot against him as her face hovered at the tip teasingly.

"Just let me try," she said before she closed her lips around him again.

He groaned, barely able to believe the control she had over him. His hips bucked up and plunged him deeper into her mouth again. And it felt just as amazing, just as earth-shattering. He'd never be more thankful than he was right now for the woman he was married too.

Today would be a day forever engraved in their minds, one with loss and with love.

They were both forever grateful to be together, and safe.

* * *

 **A/N: I know.. I didn't do the scene I said I would, but I just felt like this was the best ending to season one, so don't kill me :) LiaM is up next ;) see you all next time xx Mariah**


	23. Love Never Dies

**A/N: With season two comes new characters, Delia and Payne are here :) Not in this particular chapter, but they will be written in a few chapters since they are apart of Jimel's lives ~ Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

After seeing the Professor, Melinda dropped by the fire house.

Jim was on his usual dinner break and she just needed him.

She was emotionally drained, and just needed to be with him. To hear his voice and feel his love for her. She'd been distancing herself a lot lately, from everyone, from Jim.

She just didn't trust her gift anymore.

And she couldn't help but wonder what if she hadn't told Andrea about it. Would she still be alive? Would they have even been close friends? Would it have changed their friendship dynamic?

She liked to think that they would've still been as close, but they wouldn't have. Andrea and her didn't close until she revealed her gift, and that was only because there was a ghost attached to her and because she worked with her in the place where most of her spirits come from.

Jim had been working a lot lately, that's how he was handling his grief because he too had lost a good friend.

And so there they were, distancing themselves from each other in their own ways.

Melinda was sitting at a table watching Jim get them something to drink. he was crouched down and his arm and back muscles rippled as he reached into the machine and grabbed out an orange soda for himself before he grabbed her water.

The firehouse had given out these new sleeveless shirts and Melinda couldn't keep eyes off of him. He had gained so much muscle in these past few weeks to meet new body requirements for his jobs.

He'd taken on more of a role as a firefighter, trying to sock away some extra cash for their future.

"I'm just not sure what you hope to get talking to this professor-guy." He sighed as he walked back over to the table.  
"I'm not exactly sure either, but at least if I can figure out who this Romano guy is then maybe I can keep her away from him." She explained, turning her head to look up at him as he stood over her. She reached for her water and he handed it to her.  
"Does he know what you can do, the Professor?" She shook her head no and looked back down at the table. He walked to his locker "Why don't you tell him?"  
"I don't tell people," she answered.  
"You told Andrea," he rebutted.  
"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have." She replied. "Maybe this whole spirit thing invaded her life just like has ours. Maybe she would've been better off not even knowing."

He crouched beside her and rubbed her back, trying to cheer her up at least a little bit.

"Hey," he whispered. "Slow down, you gotta realize you're hurting too. You've been through an terrible shock. Take a beat."  
"I can't," she muttered.  
"Why?" He asked, rubbing his hand up and down her back, inching closer to her.  
"Because if I stop and think I just feel so damn guilty." Her voice cracked and she felt the tears coming on, she'd been holding them back for days now and they were finally threatening to come out in full force. "Like maybe what happened to Andrea was my fault. It's only because of me that she knew about the plane. It's only because of me that Romano went looking for her. Maybe I unleashed something that even I don't understand."  
"Just do the best you can do with what you know," he added and looked at her lovingly.

He hated to see her hurting, he really did, but deep inside he knew there was not much he could do right now.

She needed to grieve, to feel something about what had happened even if he didn't want her to. Pain was like that, it demanded to be felt.

"I can't believe that she's gone," she cried, finally letting her tears flow freely. "I can't believe that she's not just gonna walk into the store at any minute with our coffee and a joke. I would give anything to just hear her laugh one more time." She composed herself for a minute and looked at Jim. "She never doubted me, not even for a minute."

They both laughed and he leaned his head on her arm.

"I know," he whispered, pressing his lips to her arm. "I can't believe she isn't gonna call me if you're late, asking if we were just going to spend all day in bed, again."  
"She did that quite often didn't she?" She laughed, touching his face. "I've been so far away from you these past few days. I'm sorry, this isn't your fault."  
"I did the same thing, we tend to distance ourselves when we're in pain." He whispered, standing up enough to pull a chair over and sit down. "Even though we should just hold onto each other tighter in moments of sadness, we never do until the damage is already done."

She looked at him and felt her heart grow forty times in size.

"I love you so much," she whispered lovingly. "I really do."  
"I love you too," he smiled, finally pressing a kiss to her lips. "Let me comfort you alright?"  
"What kind of comfort are we talking about?" She laughed and smiled at him.  
"Any kind you want," he whispered.  
"Well," she smiled and kissed him.  
"I know just the place," he stood and held his hand out for her. "Come on."

She took his hand with a chuckle and let him lead the way, a few of his buddies smiling toward them.

"Where you two headed?" Bobby asked as she pressed herself closer to him, burring her face in his side.  
"Going to comfort the wife," he winked and clapped his back.  
"I wish i could comfort someone like that!" A rookie booed as they climbed the steps to the secluded rest room that was filled with cots.  
"You're washing the sheets Clancy!" Sulley yelled from the kitchen.

They ignored them as he shut the door, locking it and turning on the light.

It was empty, thank God and he flicked the light off again.

"Where are you?" He chuckled, slipping his shoes off quickly before going to his belt.  
"Come find me," she giggled and he hear the swoosh of clothes being taken off.

He walked in the dark, one hand out in front of his before his knees his one of the cots.

He reached out and just felt s the sheets before he move more to his left. He could heard her breathing and reached out, grazing against a very bare hip.

"Got you," he whispered, pulling her into him. "Mmm you smell so good."  
"I showered for you today," she laughed, letting him lay her down onto the bed.

Then she was kissing him again, yanking him down on top of her.

Their hands moved together to untuck his shirt, unzip his pants and cast off his boxers, and unfasten her bra. They switch places so his back is pinned against the cot, and he devoured her mouth hungrily, their lips and tongues clashing in a frenzy of love and desperation as they get her panties off.

"I missed you," he gasped.

His mouth found her skin, sucking on each place he was able to get his mouth on.

He flipped her underneath him with skill and kissed her deeply, his hands raking over his stomach and pulling her closer by her hips.

She wrapped her legs around him, bringing his hands to the cool skin of her bare ass.

"I've been waiting to make love to you ever since this morning," he whispered. "You were naked, in bed, but I had a shift."

His confession elicited a long drawn out moan from Melinda as she brought a hand up to rest behind her head and she stared up at him with hooded eyes.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Her voice was once again thick with hunger as her body writhed against the mattress, her breasts swaying enticingly as she moved.

Jim grit his teeth at the open invitation and the muscles of his lower stomach tensed when she let her legs fall to the sides, opening herself up to him.

He trailed the back of his finger along her face, down the cords of her neck, and along side her chest, stopping to roll a taut nipple between his thumb and forefinger before continuing his way down to her hip. Once there he gripped her tight as he brought his pelvis close to hers, holding his now throbbing erection in his other hand.

He let the tip graze teasingly at her entrance before slowly dragging it up between her folds and circling it achingly slow around her still swollen center.

"Ji-mm," she hissed impatiently as she raised her hips off the bed, causing him to press down harder onto her. "Make love to me."

He pulled back slightly to realign himself, and with a labored grunt, thrust his hips forward until he was sheathed completely.

He reached up with his free hand and grabbed hold of hers, intertwining their fingers into a solid grip as to steady himself of the building urge to let loose. He kept his thrusts controlled and deep, knowing full well that sooner than later he would no longer be able to contain himself. He took his time at first, pulling out of her slowly and reveling in how tight she felt around him, as though she was desperately trying to keep him there. Each push back in brought with it a breathy moan or a hoarse whimper as Melinda curled her lower lip over her bottom teeth.

He was worried she'd bruise it from how hard she was biting down when two little indentations started to form beneath her top teeth.

Jim leaned over and coaxed her lip from her teeth, sucking it between his as he soothed it with numerous swipes of his tongue. The pace of his hips quickened on their own accord as he lost himself in their heated kiss, her tongue finally joining his as they thoroughly explored each other's mouths like it was the first time. But when he realized her hands had somehow made their way to his ass, palming it roughing and her fingers digging into his skin, he couldn't help but grin against her mouth.

"Mel, I love it when you do that." He groaned, gripping the mattress next to her, trying to hold on.  
"I know you do," she purred into his ear, raking her fingers through his hair.

She pulled his hips to her by her calves, coaxing them into a steady tempo as she lifted her lower body off the mattress again to meet his urgent thrusts. He loved it when she took control like this, setting a pace that he knew was more for her pleasure than his own.

In that moment, he wanted her to be selfish and take from him what she wanted. The warm, wet tightness of her walls as she purposefully clenched around him caused his head to drop forward onto her chest as he prepared for his release.

His movements became erratic as he pounded into her, his eyes screwing shut as Melinda's breathy pants filled his ear.

"Oh Jim," she gasped, her nails grazing over his shoulders. "Right there, oh god, right there."

His lips somehow found her shoulder and when he couldn't hold on any longer, he came with a guttural growl, his teeth sinking into her skin in the midst of his euphoria.

Melinda yelped and he quickly released her when he came to his senses, a look of guilt etched upon his face before he gently kissed the marks he'd left behind.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with remorse.  
"Don't apologize," she said as she took his face between her hands, kissing his lips lightly. "I kind of liked it."  
"You did?" His mouth fell open in awe of her unexpected confession of his overly enthusiastic love bite. She nodded her head furiously before burying her face into his chest. "Well, then," he said with a chuckle, gathering her up into his arms. "Looks like I'll be going as a vampire this Halloween."  
"Oh god, yes please." She laughed, kissing him again. "I should get going, shouldn't I?"  
"Not quiet yet," he whispered, letting himself fall out as he lowered himself down between her legs. "Let me bring there one more time."


	24. Love Still Won't Die

**A/N: Kyle pisses me off. I changed the scene around a bit and made it my own.** **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

She'd been looking at her old things from college since she'd gotten home.

Her journals were so dark, she was in such a bad time when she was in Seattle with Kyle. She'd thought he loved her and devoted herself to him. Only to get hurt in the end.

She found her last journal and read through it, finding an entry that brought a smile to her face.

 _Met this guy._

 _He bought me a hot dog and made my heart swoon. He has those ocean blue eyes that I could get lost in all day, devilishly handsome with a killer smile. Also a fireman._

 _His name is Jim. Let's see where this goes..._

She ran her finger over his name and smiled. That was so long ago.

They'd been engaged within that year, and married two years after. The wedding process had been a little slow.

She needed to talk to Kyle, figure out what she wants and get him out of her and Jim's lives.

Jim was sleeping and she needed to be quiet, he'd hear the commotion and come down in an instant.

She walked out on the porch, holding her last journal about Seattle, about Kyle, about her first moments with Jim.

"Come on Kyle," she muttered as she closed the door behind her. "We have to talk about this. I can't help you if I don't know what you want."  
"You could've told me how great it is to be dead," Kyle said appearing by the tree. "Go anywhere I want, no travel time. No one can see me, well almost no one. I've had more fun dead than the entire time I was alive."  
"What'd you want?" She asked, clutching the journal to her chest.  
"I was on my way to see you, you know." He said, appearing in the chair by the table. "The day I died."  
"Why?" She asked, moving to sit down in the other chair.  
"I saw you on the news about the plane crash," he explained and she saw flashes from his life. He was watching her on the tv and then he was looking up her address. "I wanted to see how things turned out for you."  
"Things turned out pretty good for me," She said smiling as she settled back into her chair, crossing her legs out of habit.  
"I see that." He sighed, and then she saw him die, suddenly, hit by car and then another and left on the road. "Not so much for me though."  
"And how is that my problem, Kyle?" She said flatly, staring right at him.  
"I made the worst mistake of my life the day I let you go." He explained. "I just didn't realize that right away."  
"You moved on," she answered, looking away from him  
"But I didn't," he muttered.  
"You married Donna." She replied.  
"Yeah... that was another mistake. Donna looked like you. I thought I could somehow turn her into you. It was a complete disaster." He sighed and looked deeply at. "That's why I wanted you meet her, so that I was just trying to recreate you. You affected every part of my life."  
"You affected every part of my life. You made me feel like a freak and that I didn't deserved to be loved. I gave you everything!" She said calmly. "I gave you my whole life back then.. my virginity, my innocence, my eternal love and my trust and what did you do in return? You just threw me away... it was so easy for you. You want to talk about a ripple effect?"  
"I'm sorry. I really am, I was stupid. I had no idea what I was throwing away." He said, appearing beside her, wrapping his arm her. "But don't tell me you didn't think about me once in a while. Remember how we used to make fun of the space needle?" She smiled, thinking about their year together. "Remember that movie theater, we always used to go to?"  
"The Uptown," She whispered, smiling brightly and looking at him.  
"The Uptown right... how many rainy afternoons did we spend there?" He asked smiling.  
"Watching the worst movies ever... I used to hate coffee until Seattle." She laughed softly, her eyes drifting away and toward the ground. "You made me try every kind."  
"And you convinced me to not wear socks because you thought my feet looked sexy wearing sneakers without them." He said leaning against her. "Remember that bookstore in Pioneer Square?"

She looked up at him and his face was inches from mine. He leaned in slightly, but she stood up and walked away.

"None of that matters now." She answered.  
"But it does... it should." He said standing up and walking toward her. "I remember that first day I talked to you in class. The way you looked at me... those eyes... I remember thinking to myself 'Now I know what's like to really be looked at'. No one has ever looked at me like that since."  
"It's over. You made your choice. There is no going back now..." She answered. "And I'm happy now! I found a man that I love more than I ever thought was possible."  
"But it's not over. We can be together now like it was supposed to be." He said softly.  
"Don't you see that I'm happy now? I found someone who really loves me and that I love more than anything. And it's not in a presents and walks on the beach kind of way... that's easy and it's not real." She explained and walked closer to him. "Love is the stuff you do without being asked. It's about having a friend and knowing when to shut the hell up. I can't tell you what love is.. the only thing I can tell you isn't and that what we had was never love. It was a relationship between two people destined to find other people."  
"But you're wrong Melinda," he mutters.  
"I will never forget the look in your eyes when you walked away from me," I say and try to hold back my tears, even the thought of that night makes me emotional.  
"What look?" He scoffed.  
"Relief!" She muttered. "You were relieved to not have to risk being in an honest relationship. To not have to give anything up. To be able to blame somebody else, so you could be safe."  
"That's a lie." He answered.  
Your ex-wife told me you did the exact same thing to her. The first time she called you out on the way you treated her, you left." She replied flatly. "Just like me. You call that love?"  
"Yeah, but I missed you every day. I knew I had made a mistake." He answered. "Was I that forgettable?"  
"That's because you'd already thrown me away. I could be imaginary." She replied.  
"I hated myself for what I did to you," he muttered. "I wanted to call you a thousand times... I love you."  
"It would have been too late. You did what you did. I saw what I saw, I would have never taken you back..." She explained and then wiped away an escaped tear. "Plus I met Jim four months after we broke up and realized the night I met him that you were only a person passing by in my life. If it weren't for you I would have stayed in Seattle in a dead relationship and never met the love of my life."  
"Now I'm starting to hate being dead." He sighed.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Everything is too late for me these days. It's too late to fix my mistakes, too late to catch up with the things I missed and too late to make up with the people I hurt." He said. "Too late to love you the way he does."  
"the beauty part of my job is that it's never too late." She said softly.  
"Because you were never forgettable Melinda," he whispered and walked down the porch backwards. "September 29th was the day we broke up, and September 29th will be the day we get back together."

He disappeared and she sighed before collecting herself and walking back inside her house.

"You were out there awhile," Jim said, walking out of the kitchen in a pair of boxers with a grilled cheese in hand.  
"Did we wake you up?" She asked softly and then wiped away another tear.  
"You were yelling and I got possessive, but didn't want to break anything up." He replied, taking a bite before putting the food down and walking toward her. "Hey... what''s the matter?"  
"I love you," she said, wiping away the crumbs from his face.  
"I love you too," he whispered and then kissed me quickly. "Now what is it...?"  
"That was just Kyle," she sighed and went to sit down on the stairs. "He messes with me so much..."  
"Want me to track him down?" He joked.  
"He's dead," she said and smiled up at him. "Now what's the matter with you?"  
"I just heard a few things between you two..." He said.  
"Were you eavesdropping?" She laughed.  
"I was worried when you started yelling, so I snooped. But only a little." He explained. "I hope you're not mad."  
"It's okay." She sighed and looked up at him. "What did you hear?"  
"I heard most of it Melinda," he said and looked away. "Mel, you and this guy... I can't believe I'm asking you this. Is there still something between you two?"  
"What?" She laughed.  
"I heard you laughing with him... reminiscing with each other over your time together." He muttered.  
"Jim... he's dead." She replied.  
"There was a time when in my life when that meant case closed, but then I met you." He replied.  
"Jim, one or two laughs with Kyle McCall will never compare to how much I love you and what we have." She whispered, touching his cheek softly. "There was more depth when we met than the whole time I was with him. Okay?"  
"Okay," he smiled and kissed her. "Just let me take you upstairs and forget about him for tonight."  
"Wait, I want to show you something." She smiled and flipped through her journal. "It will cheer you up, and then you can cheer me up all night long."

He took the journal and read carefully, smiling as he flipping through the pages, reading about the beginnings of their relationship from her side, and remembering his side of the story.

"Wait, I gave you your first orgasm?" He asked, looking up from one of the last pages.  
"You got that far?" She laughed. "I-ugh- yeah you did. Kyle never... you know... did anything for me in that department that was good."  
"Well I'm glad I could be the lucky guy," he whispered and kissed her.  
"Yeah, thanks." She laughed and then kissed him again.  
"I think it's time you had another one of those orgasms," he smiled and threw her over his shoulder, marching up the stairs.

He entered heir room and set her swiftly on the ground, capturing her in a passionate kiss.

His hands fell to her ass, palming her cheeks with his strong muscular hands.

"I want to make love to you until you scream," he whispered in her ear. "Your mine. He doesn't get to think you're his. You're mine."

She moaned, the instant rush of wetness in her panties making her squirm uncomfortably as he moved her closer to the bed.

"I want to bend you over our bed and fill you up with me." He groaned, kissing her deeply again.  
"Yes," she gasped, her hands trailing over his broad shoulders and down his chest. "Now, I need that now, Jim."  
"First, I'm going to eat you," he said, hoisting her up on the bed, pushing her dress up past her hips, exposing her to him.

He kneeled before her and took his time, torturing and teasing her by running his fingers lightly over her lace panties.

"Jim, please," she whined, rocking her hips, desperately searching for some friction to quell the ache between her legs.  
"You want my mouth on you, Melinda?" He asked, pulling her panties down her legs.

He slid two fingers inside of her as his thumb found her center, rubbing it with firm, tight circles. She screamed and then slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing she can't be that loud. The walls of this room are thick, but not soundproof.

The neighbors definitely didn't need to call the cops, again.

He removed his fingers when he sensed her approaching the edge, giving her time to calm down before he settled down on the bed, ass in the air and face in the bed and pulled himself toward her so his face was directly between her legs.

"Feels good to see you like this," he hummed, letting his hot breath ghost over her folds. She was so wet he could see it gushing out of her, dripping down her legs. "Feels even better to eat my wife out," he added, licking up to length of her folds, using his hands to spread her open. "God damn you taste so good, Melinda."  
"Oh god, don't stop," she cried, her hands tugging at the sheets. "Just like that."

She grit her teeth, fighting back a scream as she felt her release coming on.

"Come for me, I'm going to make love to you after this and you're going to come again," he said, pushing two fingers inside her and curling them just right.  
"Oh my god, Jim," she screamed helplessly as her orgasm crashed over her.  
"That's right," he worked her through it and kissed her center. "Say my name. Say it baby."  
"Jim," she gasped and felt her legs give out, plopping down on the bed panting.  
"That's my girl," he whispered as he stood up and pulled down his boxers just enough to free his cock. "Roll over baby." She rolled over with his help and he kissed her. "I love you."

The heavy, sated feeling was still rolling through her when he wrapped his hands around her thighs, holding her legs apart as he slammed into her.

"Jim!" She cried as he gained his rhythm, stretching her, filling her, tremors of pleasure shooting to every part of her body. "Oh my God, Jim... yess, oh God yes..."  
"You get wet just for me. You fit me like a glove." He grunted, hitting deeper inside her with every thrust. "Say my name baby... say it..."  
"Jim," she gasped. "Uhh Jim right there."

His hand slithered down to find her center and she gasped from the still sensitive bundle of nerves. He worked her just right though, slowly coaxing her along until the pleasure was spiking hard and fast all over again.

"Uhhh right there…" she moaned, hardly believing she was about to come again so soon.

When she came again she went limp, near exhaustion from the pleasure overcoming her, making her feel heavy with fatigue. He paused his thrusts and leaned down, kissing her softly before moving to her neck and behind her ear, trailing his lips over her fevered skin, marking her as his.

"Will you let me fuck you from behind?" He whispered in her ear.  
"Yeah," she gasped.

He pulled out and helped her turn over so she was sprawled out over the surface of the bed and she welcomed the feeling of rest, her cheek pressed against the soft surface. A hard slap on her ass brought her back to the present as she felt Jim slide into her once more.

She closed her eyes at the feeling, loving the way he kneaded her ass cheeks and spread her open.

"Love the sight of you bent over," he hummed, pounding into her with hard, measured strokes. "I love you so much."  
"I love you too," she moaned her approval at the idea as his thrusts started to grow frantic, the sound of their skin slapping against each other filling the room.  
"Unf…fuck," he grunted when she felt him explode inside her.

He was warm and throbbing, the hot bursts of his seed shooting deep inside her. He rocked his hips in rhythm with his spurts, riding out his orgasm.

"You're mine," he kissed that spot behind her ear and it gave her chills.  
"I love feeling you inside me," she whispered with a lazy smile.  
"I love being inside you," he rolled next to her, laying on his back, making sure they laid correctly on the bed now.  
"Do you want to talk about him?" She asked.  
"No," he answered. "You're mine. Promise me that?"  
"I'm yours," she kissed him. "Forever and always."  
"I think I'm okay with that," he responded with a cheeky grin.


	25. Drowned Lives

**A/N: This took so much longer than I anticipated it to... Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

She watched this poor boy grab his bike as she sat down on the bench.

Her heart ached for him. He deserved for both of his parents to love him equally, to show him affection.

Her father had left when she was younger than Jake was now, and at least he'd actually gone. Jake's father was still near, but out of sight.

He'd gotten remarried, and had new kids even, excluding Jake out of his life like a father never should.

"Listen, Jake." She sighed and looked over at him. "My father left when I was very young. And I didn't know why, but I was heartbroken. Then out of the blue he'd just come back, maybe for a day, maybe even for a week sometimes he even brought gifts for me, and then he'd be gone again. Back then I didn't know what worse, you know. I'd be happy to see him, but saying goodbye over and over again was torture. I even thought it was my fault, but Jake it wasn't It was all out of my control."  
"What happened?" He sat down next to her and looked up at her.  
"He came by less and less, and finally I never saw him again." She answered, tears stinging her eyes as she recalled the smell of her father's shirt, the press it had against her cheek as she hugged him goodbye. "It was really unfair because I thought that I had the power to keep him there. If only I had known how."  
"Did you? Did you have the power?" He questioned.  
"No I didn't, and neither do you." She answered.  
"If I had saved Emily... he would've come back, but I didn't." He cried, his eyes filling with tears.  
"Jake you don't think your dad blames you, do you?" She asked.  
"Yeah," he whispered.  
"Why would you say that?" She touched his back gently, soothingly, but he pulled away and stood up.  
"I gotta go," he answered, grabbing his bike. "My mom's probably wondering where I am anyway."

She watched as he rode away and sat calmly for a minute,examining the world around her.

Grandview was such a quiet town, only a few cars drove down the street on a warm day like today when everyone enjoyed walking from place to place.

Her mind was still drawn to Jake.

She had to make that boy feel better again.

He'd said something about how his dad was working on a job site out near the highway. She was going to check it out, for Jake's sake because no one deserved to be abandoned by their father.

* * *

 _The little girl sat on the stairs as her father screamed, the house shaking as his voice got louder and louder._

 _They brought out the very worst in each other, Melinda's parents. She hardly knew why_

 _"Beth, I can't do this anymore." Her father yelled. "I just can't."  
"Keep your voice down, Melinda has school tomorrow." Beth whispered. "She needs to sleep."_

 _Melinda walked across the hardwood floor, her bare feet sticking to the wood with each step she took._

 _Her bear dragged across the floor as she stood in the kitchen doorway._

 _"Oh Melly," her father picked her up. "Did we wake you?"  
"Daddy, you were yelling." The seven year old whispered. "You woke me up."_

 _Tom pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead and glanced over at her mother._

 _"Let's go put you back to bed," Tom whispered and kissed her head.  
"Will you tuck me in?" She grinned from ear to ear and pressed her face into her father's warm neck.  
"Of course," he smiled and walked up the stairs._

 _He carried her like he'd done since she was an infant and brought her into her room._

 _"Why do you and mommy fight so much?" She whispered.  
"Mommy and I-" Tom set the little girl down in her bed and gathered up her covers, making sure she had her favorite bear.  
"Do you and mommy still love each other?" She asked._

 _Deep down, even then, she knew what the answer to that question was._

 _Her father would soothe the problems away with a smile and kiss, not wanting his little girl to be worried about her parents._

 _"Of course we do," he smiled. "You need your rest. You have school in the morning."  
"Can I get another hug and kiss?"  
"You sure can!" He smiled and hugged her tight. "Daddy loves you, always remember that."_

 _He pulled the blanket up to her chin and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he stood up._

 _"I love you daddy," she smiled as she hugged her bear tightly.  
"Goodnight sweetie," he shut the door with a click and she listened carefully from her room._

 _She could hear him in their bedroom and the hangers movie._

 _"Tom, please." Her mother begged.  
"I can't pretend anymore Beth," he said simply as a zipper was closed.  
_

 _He peeked into Melinda's room and she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to be seen that she was still awake._

 _"What about her? She deserves her father," her mother pleaded  
"We both know that I was never cut out for this job," he muttered. "He would've been better."  
"Promise me you'll come back," her mother sobbed.  
"I can't," he answered. "You and I both know that. I don't love you anymore Beth."_

 _She heard her mother's weeps through the thin walls and the front door close, the roar of her father's catty making her launch to the window._

 _She watched him pull out of the driveway and disappear into the night._

 _Her mother's cries were still prominent and she ran to her._

 _"Melinda Irene, you need to get your rest." Her mother insisted as she cried softly.  
"Daddy left," she answered.  
"Yes he did," her mother whispered.  
"Let's sleep together," she grabbed her mother's arm and Beth cupped her cheek.  
"You're the sweetest little girl," Beth whispered and kissed her head. "Come on. Let's go snuggle."_

 _Melinda ran to her room and grabbed her teddy, feeling the presence of something but seeing nothing and running back into her mother's room._

* * *

She sat on the bench a little while longer and felt a kiss press against her cheek.

It was light and the smell of her husband's cologne pulled her from the weary state she was in.

"You're here first, that's a change." Jim whispered and sat next to her.  
"What time is it?" She asked absentmindedly.  
"Almost one," he answered, kissing her again.  
"I've been here for almost twenty minutes," she whispered. "What the hell..."  
"We agreed to meet at one this morning, in bed." He pressed another kiss to her neck and she looked at him with a smile. "Didn't we?"  
"Yes, we did. I just was day dreaming." she laughed uneasily. "Did you get lunch?"  
"Sure did," he passed the take out container. "How was your morning?"  
"Eventful," she sighed. "I'll tell you later. I just want to enjoy our lunch and talk about anything but my morning."  
"Alright," he laughed. "I helped a woman give birth today. A beautiful baby boy."

She smiled at him, basking in his glory before kissing him.

He was too good to be true.

She couldn't possibly be married tot hi hunk who saved lives every day, and today he'd helped bring a new one into this world.

"That's amazing," she smiled. "You're amazing."  
"You seem preoccupied," he answered. "What were you day dreaming about?"  
"There's this boy and his sister is the ghost I'm trying to help, Emily." She sighed. "He's so lonely. His father left, and it made me think of my father."  
"Mel," he touched her back softly. "Anything I can do?"  
"How long's your break?" She whispered, her eyes were stuck on his lips and she gasped as he licked them as he does evry so often.

She felt a rush of lust run over her entire body and her panties stick against her.

He was too hot for her right now.

"About a half an hour, give or take." He smiled. "Why? You have something in mind?"  
"Cheer me up?" She smiled and bit her lip.  
"Any time of any day my dear," he smirked and kissed her. "Where to?"  
"I'll lead the way," she smiled.

They quickly packed up their food, putting it back in the bag, knowing they'd eat it later.

She pulled him across the square without even touching him.

The sway of her hips allured him, the way her ass was tight against her jeans made him throb.

"I'm gonna call Bobby..." He stuttered as he followed her into the shop, locking the door behind him.

No one was here, Delia was at a showing and the shop was closed for 'lunch'.

He practically threw the food onto the sofa near by as he swooped her up in his arms, his mouth capturing her neck as they fall into a heap on the floor in the back room, both reaching to kick the doors shut and Jim getting the job done.

He balanced her on his lap, coaxing her legs astride his hips, and bucks up against her fervently.

She could feel him twitch desperately against where it's now practically nestled between her thighs, despite the layers of clothing separating them. He nipped at the hollow of her throat and her head fell backwards at the sensation.

He always made her feel so irresistible when he had her in his arms like this.

He nipped at her neck as his fingertips looped into the hem of her shirt to pull it up her torso. She cupped his face with her palms to pry his lips away from her neck and slanted her mouth over his.

She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and suckled it, reveling in the mewl from the back of his throat as she slipped her fingers between their chests to work the buttons loose and pull the two halves of his shirt apart. She could feel him tugging on her jeans, trying desperately to figure out a way to rid her of them without breaking the connection of their bodies.

He slid them down to her knees before he fell back against the floor and she kicked them off the rest of the way.

He pushed her panties out of the way as he unzipped his work slacks enough to expose his swollen member.

She'd never been so grateful for his instance in _this_ sort of authenticity. Most women weren't lucky enough to have a man like Jim.

She was forever grateful.

"I love you," she gasped, kissing him deeply.

He clawed at her hips and with a strong grip under her ass and scooted her forward so the tip of his erection brushed against her already seeping opening. She relaxed her clenched thighs and sunk down around him, whimpering from the incredible way he stretched her walls as he was buried inside her.

"Melinda _,"_ He hissed into her mouth before he lapped his tongue against her own.

She coaxed his shirt the rest of the way off his shoulders and clawed at his shoulder blades as he guided her by the curve of her tightly cinched waist, quickly setting a steady and slightly punishing pace. She matched it with a swivel of her hips and a clench of her inner walls, and she grinned in satisfaction as he pried his mouth away so he could toss his head back and growl.

She was going too slow.

He quickly pushed her underneath him impatiently and drove into her. He wanted this to last, so he took his time, memorizing and savoring how her face contorted with pleasure with each thrust.

It took every last bit of willpower for him to stay focused and not give in to the urge to selfishly pound into her until she screamed his name. He faltered the moment she lifted her legs up, opening herself wider to him, the movement of her breasts as her chest heaved causing him to push into her more quickly.

"Yes," she gasped, "just…like…that."

He could never deny her what she wanted.

She was his wife after all, her wish was his command.

He couldn't slow down even if he wanted to, he was no longer in control of his own body, but his mind was screaming at him to slow down, to make this last.

"Faster," she panted. He groaned at her request, hooking his arms under the backs of her knees so he could plunge into her faster and deeper. He couldn't look away from the sight of him disappearing into her over and over again, but he forced himself to when he heard her start to whimper and her head trashed from side to side in pure ecstasy. "Don't stop, I'm…almost there. Oh God Jim..." She clenched around him tightly as if she never wanted him to leave. "I promise we can go slow tonight, just please Jim…don't stop."

With that promise in mind he finally gave in to the euphoria his body craved and let go.

Their eyes locked in a heated stare, neither one of them wanting to look away, wanting to watch the other as they fell over the edge. He hand grasped his cheek as they watched each other, captured in lust.

He was so close. He gripped her knees tightly as he took in the perfect body of the beautiful woman he'd never stop loving.

"Melinda," he gasped, "I'm gonna—"  
"I love you," she cried out suddenly.

She was going to be the end of him. That was certain.

He grunted as he let the words wash over him, his heart swelling in his chest as he plunged into her one last time, hard and deep. His hips shook as he pulsed inside her, her back arching off the floor as he spilled into her.

"Oh Jim!" She yelled, kissing him as he crumpled into a heap on top of her, careful not to crush her too much by the weight of his limp body.

His eyelids were heavy and he'd never felt more exhausted and alive all at the same time. As she kissed his knuckles, an unsettling feeling began to settle in the pit of his stomach.

He still had to go to work, they both did.

He pressed his forehead into the crook of her neck and kissed her gently, eliciting a contented sigh from her lips. He kissed the soft skin behind her ear and took a deep breath.

"Would it be selfish of me to have Bobby cover me for the rest of my shift," he gasped, kissing behind her ear again.  
"Not really, you get off at four. It's-" She glanced at her wrist and chuckled. "It's almost two. Plus I'm not letting you go either. They'll just have to survive without you."


	26. The Ghost Within

**A/N: One of Meowser Clancy's favorite episodes ;) This one is for you! Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

It was always the same, a crushing pain just on one side of her head that came and went in a pattern.

It made her want to pace about, she couldn't sit, couldn't lie down or relax. One eye would water on the painful side and her nose would run. She hated it, but knew what it meant.

Her ghost was trying to tell her something, and she was close, but not close enough to actually solving it .

The pain would throb so violently around her skull that she wondered why it didn't just crack open. Today was one of those days and when Jim came home from work he found her curled on the sofa under a blanket.

He fetched her a steaming mug of tea and helped her to sit up. Then he curled up right behind her on the carpet.

She leaned into his embrace and took a sip of tea, suddenly too hot for the blanket.

"You okay?" He asked, rubbing her back.  
"It's going away," she sighed. "Thank you."  
"So tell me about this one," he replied.  
"He is very complicated," she rose the mug to her lips and looked back at him. "He doesn't seem to understand anything I'm saying to him. It's almost like he can't hear or see me."  
"So you can see this guy, but he can't see or hear you?" He asked, letting his hands press into her shoulders, rubbing the muscle between her neck and shoulder.  
"Yeah," she answered softly. "How's that for a cruel twist of fate?"  
"Maybe this ghost is deaf and blind?" He replied, his eyes were drawn to the bend of her neck.

The smell of her perfume dabbed to the skin drew him in and he licked his lips.

His lips were being pulled closer and closer, but he knew he had to listen. She had a lot going on and kissing her neck would not help, not yet.

"It's like he's trapped here." She explained. "Being trapped here by these Christmas ornaments."  
"Not everyone likes the holidays," the pads of his fingers slid over her skin as he inched closer, the soft whisper of his voice beckoning him to go closer.  
"He's definitely trying to get rid of them," she replied. "It's like they're alive, breathing," then his warm lips pressed to her neck, her lust for him building. She needed to keep her cool, for now. "I've never seen anything like it."

She felt his warm breath on her neck, then the tender brush of his lips, again. Burning as they made contact.

He sucked softly, the warmth of a mark on the back of my neck ignited her fire.

"Where are they now?" he replied for her, then his lips trailed across her neck to her head and I could feel the scratchy stubble of his beard.

She looked back at him and he shook his head.

"They are in the kitchen," she answered and stood up. "Come on. I'll show you."  
"I was hoping the answer was hidden, somewhere deeply hidden away in the store." He followed her to the kitchen, gazing down at the box of wooden ornaments. "Well they're pretty."

She gazed down at the illuminating wooden blocks and knew from the way he wasn't looking at them anymore that he couldn't see what she could.

They were beautiful.

"Oh I wish you could see this," she whispered.

She reached for the bunny and was instantly transported somewhere, he just by the way she turned away, walking a few steps toward the stairs.

"Melinda," he said as she stared ahead. "Melinda?"

She bent forward, head in her hands and began to wobbled toward the floor.

He reached out for her and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her heartbeat against her wrist immediately before she covered her ears.

"Come on," he eased her back to her feet as she gasped for air, kissing the back of her head. "Keep breathing." He moved in front of her and held her steady, hands strong against her arms. "Stand up, you're alright."  
"What happened?" She gasped, looking at him, eyes hazed and felt her shake in his grasp.  
"You tell me," he whispered as he leaned back, looking into her eyes. "You just blacked out there for a minute."

His hands went to her face as he watched her think, brows furrowing.

"I was scared," she breathed. "And really angry. It was overwhelming."  
"Maybe you should sit down," he suggested, standing beside her as she set down the wooden ornament.  
"No, I don't think I can." She answered. "I just have to walk this off."

She paced back and forth, breathing every few second, trying to contain her heart rate.

"You see anything?" He asked.  
"Yes, two people hitting each other." She replied. "In some kind of fight."

His hands met her waist and he pulled her closer, rubbing her forearm lightly as she looked up at him.

Something pulled them closer and she smiled at him, but that quickly faded as the ghost appeared in the front entryway, banging an ornament on the wooden floor.

"Alright, I want this ghost out of here." He answered softly.

She looked back at him and sighed, rubbing her forehead.

* * *

She laid awake in bed, sleepiness had long since deserted her and ran to her husband who was fast asleep next to her.

Jim and Melinda had a nice night at home, which they didn't get very often. They'd watched a movie, made a nice dinner together and even had enough time to share a nice shower together.

He was fast asleep, and she envied him, leaning down to press a kiss to his damp hair as he further tucked himself under his pillow.

She wasn't sure which moments she loved best, she reflected, seeing Jim's broad shoulders as he slept peacefully beside her. The frenzied, passionate ones where she couldn't imagine not having this with him? The moments that took her breath away and her words and all coherency, leaving her lost in a whirl of desire and overwhelming touch and pure love emanating from her husband?

Or was it the moments after. When he just looked at her, blue eyes dark, hands sweeping over her body, making every inch feel precious and sacred?

Was it when he was the one getting, and not giving as it always was? When he was dizzy from how she made him feel? When she'd taken him there, when they'd come down from the mountaintop and he was more in love than ever?

Was it when she got to properly admire and remember how very truly Jim Clancy loved her...every piece of her...every imperfect lonely piece...

How it wasn't about the sex. Even when it was.

It was about him being passionately and thoroughly interested in every aspect of her life. Because he loved her, and that was enough.

"Staring at me?" he said propping his head up on one arm.  
"Can't sleep," she sighed.  
"I know just how to fix that," he moved himself on top of her, and lifted the soft material of the blanket, tugging the only thing covering her. "It's like you knew we'd make love again."  
"We always do," she laughed.

Without warning, he ducked and spread her wet folds, flicking his tongue over her, causing her to moan loudly as she leaned against the sturdy headboard.

"Hungry much?" She gasped as he pulled back, looking at her with the kind of look a hunter gives his prey.  
"You have no idea." He returned his attention to her, ravishing her with his lips and tongue until it was all she could do to keep from falling over him.

Running her hands through his damp hair, she tugged when he sucked on the hard nub of her swollen center, causing her legs to buckle beneath her. He placed one of her legs over his shoulder to gain greater access and greedily ran his tongue over her center, saying her name against her so the vibration reached all the way up to her cheekbones.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, her chest rising and lowering, hard breathing.

He felt her compensate by arching up and grinding against his tongue, her thighs quivered and throbbed, as he pulled back just so.

Melinda panted when he slipped his fingers inside of her, the rhythm he knew so well causing her to climb. In embarrassingly short order, she exploded around his fingers and mouth, her muscles clenching and fluttering.

Her twenty second grip on his skull right before she collapsed in exhaustion. The air filled with the sounds of her pleasure and before she could finish, he was on his feet, pushing her to him, back arched in the air, he entered her, pumping her as she called out his name, screaming from the pleasure of his thrusts. He kissed her and flooded her mouth with the taste of herself, a flavor she hadn't tasted in a while.

"You feel so good," he growled, pulling her to his lap, his hand pressing to the small of hr back as she pushed up into her, watching her face writhe in pleasure as he brought hrr closer and closer, slowing his pace to suck on her breasts, firm and pert under his lips.

She ran her hands over his back, her nails tracing a pink path along his muscles. When he'd sucked on both breasts until their tips were standing at rigid attention, he brought his mouth up to kiss her again, slamming his hips into her, his legs quivering from the exertion. She ran her lips over his neck, her breath exploding from her as she neared another orgasm

This time, they came together, his teeth clamping down on her shoulder as she threw her head back with an abandon.

"Jim, oh God, yes!" She shouted as he shuddered, emptying the last of his orgasm inside of her. "Keep going. I need you to keep moving."

Leaning against her for a moment to catch his breath, he pushed into her shallowly and eased her back onto the bed, milking both of their orgasms as long as he could.

He slacked against her, slowly going to pull out as he softened inside of her.

"Stay," she practically purred as she wrapped her legs around him, her hands roaming down his backside to his rear, fondling him gently. "I know you've got enough for round three."  
"Always and forever," he chuckled.


	27. Grave Matter

Melinda tossed the innards of a pumpkin on the kitchen island, the gooey, seedy mess going everywhere.

She quietly grunted in frustration while Jim leaned over his masterpiece he was creating. Melinda smiled a small smile. The man's happiness was too contagious.

She sighed and went back to gutting the pumpkin, throwing the contents down more forcefully with every handful. Finally, she was so fed up with it, that she threw the handful down at the table with such force, it splattered on her husband's, who had just looked up to see how she was doing, and her own face.

"Not in the Halloween spirit this year?" He asked. "Usually you love carving pumpkins."

She spun around and faced over to the sink, leaning against the counter as she turned on the faucet. She grabbed a dry rag and stuck it under, turning the faucet quickly and setting the damp rag down.

Jim spun around instantly and was at her side, he took the rag from her and wiped off the orange goo from his forehead.

Melinda sighed.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked.  
"Jack-o'-lanterns just aren't what I want to be doing right now," she muttered. "This the third one I've done today. Don't you think we have enough?"

Leaning his hip against the counter, he looked at her. Face covered in pumpkin guts and that scowl on her face. He licked his thumb and went to wipe a spot on her cheek, stopping short at a glare.

"Okay, okay." He reached out and cupped her cheek, and she closed her eyes and leaned into it.

He moved his thumb from side to side gently, trying not to laugh as it acted like a windshield wiper for the goo.

"Tell you what, we can be done carving pumpkins," he replied. "You go sit by the fire and relax. I'll clean this up and pour us both a glass of wine."  
"Are you sure?" She asked.  
"Yes," he pressed a kiss to her cheek and she backed away, hands in the air and smile on her face. "That's my girl."

She plopped down on the couch and he set to work, quickly throwing away the pumpkin guts before going to quickly grabbing the rag and cleaning off the kitchen island.

He left the pumpkins there, knowing they'd pick up where they'd left off once he found out what had happened today.

"So what happened?" He asked as he grabbed the leftover wine from dinner.  
"I visited Andrea today," she replied as he fetched two wine glasses.  
"That's why you were late to lunch," he muttered quietly to himself, twisting the cork from the bottle.  
"Did you say something?" She asked.  
"No," he answered. "What happened while you were there?"  
"Nothing at first," she explained. "But there was this ghost."  
"At the cemetery?" He poured the wine quickly and walked from the room, handing her one. "Seems like a natural place for a ghost."  
"No actually it's not." She replied quickly. "Ghosts get their energy from the living. I'm more likely to run into a ghost at a mall than a cemetery."  
"That explains all the lousy parking," he brought his glass to her with a clink and she smiled.  
"Ghosts tend to go where their problems are," she replied. "And this one's problem is at the cemetery. He was buried in the wrong grave."  
"How does someone get buried in the wrong grave?" He asked, taking a sip before setting it down.  
"Makes you wonder what they're doing at those mortuaries," she replied, taking her own sip as he slid off the couch and kneeled before her, rubbing her leg softly.  
"Ah, you don't want to know that." He replied softly, looking down at her arched leg and massaging it more tenderly.  
"You're right, I don't." She muttered, licking her lips. "Assuming this guy's right; does that mean the wrong body is in his grave?"  
"Makes sense," he answered.  
"Then what can I do?" She hummed softly.  
"Not much," he explained. "Unless you can find the family, they can order and exhumation. But you're going to need a lot more evidence then I talked to a ghost." He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her knee, and she returned the gesture. "Makes you wonder how they didn't know it was that guy. That body must have been pretty messed up.  
"Yeah it was pretty bad," she sighed, itching her neck before rubbing her arms.  
"Cold?" He questioned.  
"No," she answered. "It's just kind of creepy. My work is usually on a higher plane, I'm not used to the whole dead body thing."  
"Well, wanna try and get used to the whole live body thing?" He rose from his place on the floor and closed the gap between them.

His arms braced beside both sides of her as he lowered himself on her.

"Oh!" She gasped. "That sounds nice."

A moan caught in his throat when she brought her mouth to his neck, wrapping her arms around him.

"You aren't doing much talking," he said as she arched into him.

His cock twitched at the innuendo, straining against the front of his sweatpants as she leaned forward and trailed her other hand down the front of his chest. She was doing it on purpose, trying to speed things along so she'd be the one in control instead of him, but he wasn't going to fall for it.

Two could play at that game.

He pulled her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he brought them to the floor,

She was on top.

Jim grabbed hold of her hips and lowered her onto him, hissing when he felt her heat seep through the fabric of his pants. He held her in place as he bucked his hips off the floor, the full weight of her body pressed up against his erection eliciting a deep moan of approval from the both of them.

"Take your shirt off," he moaned, his fingers touching the hem and she smiled.

Her shoulders rose slightly as she inhaled a deep breath and he could tell she wasn't impressed by his request. When her fingers finally pulled the top up and over her head, she dropped her hands to sides and bared her breasts to him.

He groaned at the sight of her already erect nipples and bit down on his lip hard to keep himself from flipping her over onto her back and fucking her senseless. That was part of plan…but not quite yet.

He eventually did want to get back to carving his masterpiece of a pumpkin.

Jim couldn't hold back any longer, he had to feel the softness of her lips against his and claim them as his own. He leaned forward but she met him half way, their needy mouths crashing into an impatient kiss as her hair slid off her back, draping their faces with a curtain.

Her hips began to move, grinding against him almost painfully. She pulled back almost instantly when he hissed into her mouth, following his eyes when he dropped his gaze to where their hips were joined.

"Sorry," she huffed as she eased off him and grabbed hold of the offending garment, stripping it off his legs in one quick motion. "I haven't seen you free ball it since we first got married." She giggled and leaned down to kiss his erection. "I like it."

His head was spinning from how she already was kissing his length and grasping it. With her lips no longer distracting him, he took a calming breath to try and reign in his galloping heart. He needed to get back in control.

Melinda resumed her position; straddling his hips as she leaned forward again in search of his lips once more. But he held up a hand, placing his palm between her breasts to keep her at a distance as he fought back a smile when she frowned in response.

"Just wait," he said as he shifted his hands to her sides.

He trailed them up and down at an achingly deliberate pace, stopping each time just before he reached the swell of her breasts. With each pass, he could sense her growing more and more impatient with him.

He could see her struggling to keep her hands to herself but when she started to arc her back and whimpered softly, he relented and reached over to move her hair out of the way to see her breasts. But when he did, he made a point to run the pad of his thumbs across her nipples, over and over until he'd coaxed them once again to stiff peaks, her soft mewls and keening spurring him on to roll them between his fingers. His jaw hung slack as he looked back and forth between her face and her chest, mesmerized by how the tight skin around her nipples puckered from his touch.

It was the little things he noticed that seemed to turn him on the most.

He couldn't resist and lifted his head, capturing her flesh in his mouth and sucking it hard to tease her.

"Oh," she gasped, grasping the coffee table. "Jim, please," she begged. "I need more."

At those three little words, Jim yanked her pants down and rolled her underneath him.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard right now." His words stoked the cooling embers of her desire, causing the flames to rise anew.  
"Yes, please." She gasped.

He nestled himself between her legs and rubbed himself along her dripping folds, eliciting sighs from her as she spread her legs wider to give him better access. With a tilt of her hips she was able to sheath him in her waiting warmth, both of them groaning in relief at finally being joined as one.

They shared a moment, looking deep into each other's eyes, before Jim began to move. He went slowly at first to allow her to accommodate his fully engorged cock. They reveled in the exquisite torture, trying to prolong their coupling as much as possible.

"Mel," he panted as his muscles trembled with the effort to keep from pounding into her. "I have to go faster."  
"Go ahead," she smiled up at him, "Fuck me like you want to."

He needed no other encouragement to do just that. He hooked her knee over his arm to widen her even further, then proceeded to slam his hips into hers at a frantic pace, causing her breasts to bounce with each thrust.

"Oh God," she gasped, throwing her head back and his mouth nipped at her neck, kissing it as he pushed into her. "Just a little-" She squeaked as she dropped down enough to push deeper. "Right there! Oh yes! YES!"

The aftershocks of her orgasm squeezed him tight and his thrusts became erratic until he exploded deep inside of her with a grunt. He continued to move as she milked him of every last creamy drop.

He fell on the floor beside Melinda, her name falling like a prayer from his lips, and pulled her snug to his chest. She curled into him, already fast on her way to a satisfied sleep when she felt him press a soft kiss to her temple.

"We'll finish carving the pumpkins later," he panted.


	28. Woman of His Dreams

**A/N: Jim is too manly to be at a makeup party and Melinda spies on him... ;) Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

He sat there as the woman rubbed cream into his face.

Was it supposed to do something? Tighten his skin? Make him look under like he's in high school again?

He could feel Melinda's tension as everyone ogled him, the words the woman said meant nothing to him.

He needed to calm her down, ease her worries, her insecurities.

The stool was spun around he saw her jump, more her chest than anything and he looked at her again. Hoping she'd give him a sign.

Was there a ghost? A vision?

"Isn't this a great look?" The woman squealed.  
"It was a pretty good look before you put it on too," Delia retorted and he grinned.  
"Well that was fun," he grinned, standing up slowly as Delia went to save him.

Melinda stared at him as he walked forward. Her eyes never moved, only her head did.

"It's a good thing I'm comfortable with my masculinity or that could've put me into therapy for a couple of years." He joked, hoping to see her smile return. "Honey, what's wrong? You're looking at me like you've seen a ghost."

She blinked, only looking at him deeper.

What eh didn't know was what she saw.

It was almost like the front layer of his skin on his face had been peeled off.

"Really? Where?" He gasped, excitement filled him as he looked around as if he could see anything.  
"Right in front of me," she answered and blinked and it was gone. "Oh it's gone, for now. It was on your handsome face."  
"So no jealousy from the hoots and hollers?" He sighed happily.  
"No," she smiled. "Go do what you wanted in the garage."  
"Are you sure?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.  
"Yes, this should be no longer than hour. I'll bring you something to snack on in a bit," she rubbed his stomach and turned on her heel to hear about some magical thing for her eyelashes.

He didn't need to hear another word.

He was quickly to work in the garage, fixing the table that had fallen on the front porch after a rather violent storm.

It was exactly one month ago when a particularly violent thunderstorm rolled through Grandview, he and Melinda had been making love as they did nearly every evening—and were even more inclined to be doing so on a stormy night. Having sex during storms always turned her on; there was something about feeling so safe and protected in his arms coupled with the delicious sight of their joined bodies illuminated by the sporadic flashes of lightning that heightened the experience for Melinda.

And he was never one to say no to his wife's desires.

That night with the first staccato pulse of electricity in the purpling sky and the responsive boom of thunder, he and Melinda hadn't even made it upstairs, impatiently shedding their clothes before sinking to the living room couch in a frenzy of lips and limbs. She was on the precipice of her second orgasm when a thud from just outside caused Jim to freeze mid-thrust, but Melinda had urged his mouth back to hers, assuring him it was likely nothing, and he had resumed driving into her.

When they both recovered from their climaxes and the storm abated, they had gathered their clothes and slipped into bed, still naked, and drifted off to sleep, the sound long forgotten.

Or at least it was forgotten until the next morning when Melinda went to get the morning paper and the string of obscenities that she shouted roused him from the couch. Throwing on his clothes, he raced to her side.

She had been to sleepy to notice the broken chairs and table, stepping on a piece and getting splinters stuck in her toes. He'd fixed all but the table, forgetting all abut it until last night when they tried to eat outside and the table was gone and hidden away in the garage.

So It was time for him to finally fix the damn thing, he thought as he pulled out his measure tape and marked how long he needed a piece of shaped wood for one of the legs.

He soon just needed to pound the damn metal accents to the wood and make it match the rest of the pieces.

Through the window however, she could see him hunched over the board he was lining up, positioning each black metal piece methodically. His shirt was damp with sweat, and his biceps bulged with each strike of the hammer.

She was about to go back when she took one more glimpse at Jim again.

 _Good lord._

Instinctively, her teeth tugged at her lower lip and she felt her stomach swoop as she saw him lift the bottom of his t-shirt and raise it over his head, baring his chest to her prying eyes. He used the discarded shirt to mop at his forehead, both sides of his neck, and the hollow of his throat.

He was going to kill her at this rate.

Her eyes were drawn to one stray bead of sweat that ran along his chiseled jaw and slid down his neck, hugging the lines of his collarbone before meandering down the defined muscles of his pectorals and rolling into his navel. She let her vision continue to stray past his belly button to the fine trail of hair that disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans. He finished hammering the metal down and sat it upside down so he could put them on the legs.

He bent over to grab the last bag of pieces and Melinda actually heard a tiny moan escape her lips as the cords in his back rippled below his shoulders and she allowed her gaze to linger on his ass, the denim stretching just so.

Clenching her thighs together, she knew the wetness was already gathering between her legs and she had to fight the urge to slip her hand up her own dress and relieve some of the sweet tension that ogling her husband had built up in her.

She felt a little guilty hanging around watching him out there while the makeup party went on without her, but she kept checking on him as the need inside her grew bigger.

The girls could afford to be without her for a few minutes.

Jim would make her climax in five minutes, if that. They just had to be quiet.

* * *

He hammered another piece to the leg as she closed the door behind her.

"Food?" He grinned, like a child as she walked forward. "Has everyone gone?"

She didn't say anything, she didn't have to, and Jim could see her desire in her brown eyes. His eyes were filled with wonder and lust as one hand wandered down to go under her dress while the other snaked around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his body. She could feel his erection pressing against his jeans and she couldn't help but move against him, which made Jim groan.

He picked her up, moving his project aside and set her on the workbench.

Placing her hands around his neck she captured his lips in a searing kiss, wanting to taste and feel him. His tongue met hers, swirling around her mouth and dancing against her tongue as they explored each other while his fingers pulled her panties down, entered her and began to stroke her most sensitive place.

Her moans were muffled into his mouth which he took gladly as her hands tugged on his belt buckle, wanting more from him. The friction as they kissed and grinded against each other, was driving them both mad with passion. He was enjoying pleasuring her like this, his fingers stroking her so precisely, yet he wanted to take her fully against the bench, to make her his own.

"Oh… Jim…" she moaned between kisses, moving against his fingers to give him better access.

He continued his ministrations, making her continue to moan into his mouth, as they kissed hungrily. Her fingers wandered to undo his belt so she could dip beneath to touch him. Just her touch on his skin made him burn as he continued to stroke her faster as she gasped and moaned at what he was doing.

"I want you," he growled into her ear as he broke from the kiss only to continue his ministrations.

She looked at him, her eyes glazed over from the ecstasy he was giving her.

"We have … oh… to keep quiet," she said between breaths, her breasts heaving inside her dress. Melinda was so close to the edge and she wanted him to send her over it. "Please Jim..."

He unbuckled his own jeans, freeing his erection from the confines of the denim.

"Are you working out here without—?" She gasped as he rubbed her center.  
He silenced her with a kiss. "Too damn hot for underwear," he mumbled against her lips, and she gasped again when she felt him between her legs, thick and ready for her. Hooking an arm under her right knee, he drew it up to his waist and they both groaned as he entered her. "Fuck, you feel good," he panted, placing his free hand on her hip to coax her movements.

His grip on her knee slipped several times the sweatier they got, but she managed to reach behind her and brace her arms along the workbench to steady them both as he increased the intensity of his thrusts, withdrawing almost entirely from her before slamming back in, burying himself to the hilt.

Jim slanted his mouth over hers again; an errant bead of sweat dripped from his brow and rolled down the valley between her breasts. He tightened his hold on her leg, angling her pelvis up to drive into her deeper. She closed her eyes and threw back her head. When his hand left her hip to begin circling her aching center, she choked on his name and bucked into his touch. She felt the tension in her abdomen winding tighter with each stroke of his finger just above where he continue to pump into her, and though she fought the rising waves of pleasure, it wasn't long before her orgasm surged through her like a rip current.

"Yes… Jim… yes…" She almost screamed in rapture but his hot mouth silenced her as she shook in his arms from the aftershocks of the orgasm.  
He nipped at her ear and left a mark, chuckling, "You're so fucking beautiful when you come."  
"Jim," she whimpered as the aftershocks seized at her limbs. "Come for me, too."

He grinned down at her and screwed his eyes shut, quickening his paces until his thrusts grew uneven and he rasped her name in a sibilant hiss and spilled himself inside her. He pressed soft kisses to her sweat-soaked temple and gazed deeply into her eyes, both of their chests heaving and shiny with perspiration.

"Holy shit," he gasped. "Best distraction ever," he smoothed the damp tendrils of her hair off her forehead. "I love you," he whispered, bringing her knuckles to his mouth and kissing them tenderly.  
"I love you," she replied, her hands skating over his shoulders. He tugged his jeans back up and zipped the fly. "I have to get back before they think I'm dead or something."

He quirked his lips at her.

"Melinda?" She glanced up as he grabbed her panties, and his smile broadened to a knowing smirk. "Leave the panties off. I'm going to need another round once everyone's gone on that stool."

She grinned and tucked the purple lace into his back pocket before fixing the hem of her dress and going back to the party.

He really needed to hammer this table to keep himself from getting round two in front of that whole group of women...


	29. A Vicious Cycle

**A/N: I love this episode because of the diverse of Jimel in it, but otherwise the story didn't really stock to me and I didn't like it as much as I could have... which does suck lol. Enjoy!**

* * *

Melinda sat in a chair with a green vest and two long sleeve under-warmer shirts on, under Jim's instruction tonight would be on the colder side than usual.

A fire crackled in the corner of the campsite, projecting long shadows on the surrounding area. The light cast by the flames danced across the dark trunks of the trees, twisting and curling in obscure shapes and providing a small radius of light.

The heat from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air before ever reaching her frozen hands. Jim added a bit more wood and poked it with a long stick.

The fire itself was pulsating, the glowing embers seemed to move in rhythm with the flames, matching every dip and sweep. It was mesmerizing to watch, colors of orange and red gave way to yellow and white near the center, where the emanating heat was the greatest.

He was on a mission to make her the world's best roasted marshmallow. His words exactly and she was actually having fun watching him mess around, not that she'd ever tell him that until they were home again.

"So, this is really really great." She muttered as she watched the flames grow, hearing him inflate the air mattress they'd sleep on. "Out in nature, no one but us for miles. Who knew that camping could be so much fun?"  
"What did I tell you?" He cheered, pressing down on the air mattress pump quicker now. "Clear air, the smell, there's nothing like it."  
"Yeah... I'm getting that feeling," she sighed, looking over her shoulder as wood cracked behind her, even though watching her husband in the act of being her man and getting everything ready was extremely distracting and intoxicating.

She loved watching his muscles bulge and low grunts he'd make when something went wrong.

"I'm just... glad you came this time," he words were said as her cheek as he'd pressed a kiss there.

She leaned her head into his brief embrace before he went to put the mattress in the tent.

"Besides, I thought when you said we were going to the woods that you meant _the woods_." She explained.  
"What? That place Delia is always wanting to take you to?" He asked, wrapping the manual air pump and putting it in it's bag.  
"Yeah," she answered. "Salt scrubs, seaweed wraps, massages. That would be the one."  
"Hmm..." he replied with a grin, shoving the air mattress into the tent. "We've got all the luxuries here." He turned to face her, smiling now. "And these hands... they've got more magic in them than any seafood wrap."  
"Seaweed!" She exclaimed jokingly.  
"Alright, that too." he laughed, crouching down to grab the stick he'd been roasting on the fire, seeing his perfection of a roasted marshmallow. "This place hasn't changed a bit.'  
"You came here with your father, right?" She asked, looking at his face which glowed in the fire's light.  
"Yeah, me, my brother and my old man." He grabbed the treat from the fire and blew the flame out, perfectly roasted.  
"No mom?" She replied.  
"Nope, she loved camping about as much as you do," he laughed and plopped down next to her, leaning against her chair.  
"Hey!" She said softly. "That's not fair. I'm starting to like it, I've just never gone before..."

The fire seemed to die a as if someone had blown out a birthday candle. It's small flames hid beneath the logs and licked at them like a nervous kitten.

Jim moved quickly, not willing to let their fire burn out on them yet.

"Oh, sorry." He grunted. "The wood was probably just green."

He leaned down to blow on the fire and get its flames started when they jumped up and almost touched his face, but luckily he'd moved back enough in time.

"Oh!" She gasped, standing up behind him, touching his back. "You alright?"  
"That's strange," he said, arms at her waist immediately.

The chair collapsed on it's self and blew off in a sudden gust of wind.

"Is this that crisp air you were talking about?" She asked as he guided them to the tent.  
"Something I forgot to mention was that we might..." He struggled at the tent's zipper as he climbed in behind her.  
"Zip it," she answered as she plopped down on the mattress. "Zip it!"  
"We might get some wind." He answered.

She sat on the mattress with a sigh and laid back against the pillows they'd brought from home.

"Sorry," he laid next to her and reached to turn the lamp on which revealed her face. "I know this isn't at all what you had in mind for a weekend of fun, but it's the best I can do."  
"No, it's perfect," she told him, flashing him an understanding smile, then leaned over to capture his lips. "I've just been playing around. I'm starting to like camping, we'll have to go more when it gets warm again."  
"Really?" he asked.  
"Yes," she smiled bright, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "It's okay. This is going to be a perfect weekend."  
"Not exactly roughing it, though like I promised." He smiled apologetically.

She stared at him, then she reached over to still his hand. "I can think of another way we can get rough," she murmured shyly. "You can show me the magic in these hands..."

He looked surprised at first, but then he broke out into a smirk, and she moved closer to kiss him before she could feel embarrassment at her cheesiness. He groaned into her mouth, his hand coming to rest on her neck.

"You are too good to me," he said between kisses, sliding his tongue back into her mouth, quickly increasing the fervor of the movements of their lips. "And if you don't know about the magic enough, then I'm slacking."

She just sighed, curling her hands into his hair to pull him closer. He pushed her to the mattress, tugging her hips underneath his. She lifted her mouth to his again, kissing him urgently. She already ached for him, and she felt her nipples tightening when he brushed his hand over her breasts through her shirts.

Jim settled in between her legs, stretching the necklines of all three of her tops down to expose her breast. With her bra pushed aside, he thumbed her nipple gently, rubbing it with the pad of his finger. She keened at the sensation, dipping her head back, but she kept her eyes on his face. He smiled at her, tugging on the nipple until she moaned louder, but he shushed her, breathing against her mouth.

"You're gonna have to be quiet, Melinda," he scolded her, squeezing her breast harder to elicit another moan from her, clearly not that concerned unlike his words suggested.

At that, he thrust his groin against hers, rubbing his erection against her, and she hissed. There was no way…

"We're miles away," she breathed as he continued to stroke her nipple, and he just smiled at her before sucking the hardened bud into his mouth. "Make me scream..."

* * *

 **A/N: I may have promise Meowser Clancy the waterfall scene, but writer's block took the best of me. I'm sorry, I will make it up to you :) I promise xx Mariah**


	30. The Night We Met

**A/N: The Night We Met is one of my favorites :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

The smoke spilled from inside the restaurant and flames licked up against the walls as the fireman tried to control it.

She hated the sound of a fire engine because it sent Jim into a dangerous situation where he could get hurt.

Professor Payne led students through pack of people behind the caution tape and she caught his eye.

What was Melinda doing here? His facial expression rang and she gave him a small smile as she continued to look around for Jim.

He realized he needed to get these students through safely and then he'd go back and find her.

She looked around a bit more before she asked Delia, "Do you see him anywhere?"

"No," Delia responded and looked as well.

Two fireman came from the building carrying a man who looked hurt. It looked to be empty on the inside now as she searched the faces of these two men.

"He's right there," Delia pointed to the man on the right helping the man. "He's right there with that guy."  
"You gotta make sure everybody's out!" The injured man yelled.

Payne had just circled back when there was an explosion.

It was as though a fist of orange flame had decided to punch it's way out of the main doors.

Windows shattered. Smoke and fire rushed out. Thousands of pieces of glass and steel, a deadly rainfall, showered down. Alarms - shrill and deafening- erupted.

A huge bite had been taken out of the side and the roof of the building. It was hard to believe that a simple kitchen fire had done so much damage.

The fireman and Jim were knocked over harshly as the flames burst from the building and he saw Melinda rush forward screaming.

"JIM!" She screamed as a policeman restrained her along with Delia. She fought their arms and tried to push through, but it was no use. Jim was already hurt and on the ground, she couldn't do much to help him. "Jim! That's my husband... please you have to let me through! JIM!"

One last fireman came running from the building with his arm on fire.

The injured man tried to make a run for it inside to make sure everybody had gotten out, but Jim stumbled up on his feet and held him back, bringing him toward the gurney for some oxygen and to be examined.

The fire chief ran from the other side of the lot to make sure his men were alright noticed Melinda trying to get through.

"Are you okay?" She called to Jim.  
"Yeah," he called. "I'm fine."

She stepped away from the police officer and noticed something inside the flames and Jim recognized the blank stare as he grabbed his helmet from the pavement.

Ghost.

It was gone before she could even think of what it was before she noticed Jim's limp and went toward the border again.

"Personnel only," the same police officer said.  
"Let her though," Sulley said and helped her under the tape. "Take him home and make sure he's bandaged up and healthy tomorrow?"  
"Of course," she hugged Sulley tightly and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Thanks Sul."  
"Anything for you," Sulley smiled.

The old man was so sweet and she adored how well and accommodating he was to Jim and her.

"Mel, I'm fine." He grunted and sat down to take a second drinking a swig of water and pressing an oxygen mask. "Just a little bruised up. Nothing I can't handle."  
"I know," she said softly, sitting on the knee she knew was hurt. "Sul said to take you home."  
"Alright," he huffed. "Just let me do another minute with the mask, but I'm fine Mel. Stop fussing."  
"I'm always going to fuss when it comes to you." she said and wiped off some of the soot from his face. "I don't want to lose you to this job."  
"I'm here, Mel." He replied and touched her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."  
"I know, but what if something happens and you get hurt more seriously and I lose you…" She sighed. "We just got married, Jim. These fifteen months have been the best and I can't lose you. I can't."  
"You are not going to lose me, Melinda." He whispered and kissed her.

At first the kiss was gentle, but as soon as she began kissing him back and he responded by gripping her cheek softly and kissing her with so much passion that he swore he saw stars.

"Let's get you home," she gasped and stood up, helping him his feet.

He towered over her, but she still helped him every step of the way to her car a few blocks down.

Anyone would envy that.

* * *

Once they were home she got him into the shower, helping him rinse the soot from his body and letting him take his time and wash her body.

He was too hurt to have sex tonight, she'd admitted but let him touch her anyway.

His hands traced suds over her body and brought her snug against him.

"You're too beautiful," he gasped and grasped her breasts.  
"We can't keep this up much longer before I'll need to fuck you," she whispered as he lapped his tongue over her mouth.  
"I'll get you there," he chuckled. "Trust me."

Oh she knew he could bring her to completion with just his hands, both of them knowing there would be too much strain for him to kneel down and let his mouth do the work.

He furrowed his fingers where he knew that despite the impulsiveness of this moment, she'd be warm and waiting for him. He knew exactly how to touch her.

Her short fingernails pressed her hands against the tile of the shower and the water dripped over her face as he probed his fingers between her soft thighs. He caressed her languidly while his tongue massaged hers, and she thrusted her hips backward when his fingertip ghosted over the hood of her center without applying any pressure at all.

"Jim," she gasped, her voice heightening in pitch.  
"Yes," he whispered, "Keep saying my name like that..." He found her neck quickly and marked her.

He smirked against her back while trailing his fingers up again, finding the bud, and pressing in as he rose his mouth to the corner of her jaw. He felt her pulse flutter wildly as his lips roamed the muscles and hollows of her throat, and the tiny, soft grunt she uttered made him chuckle.

He sucked the thin skin above the notch in her collarbones between his teeth delicately, peppering her with soft marks.

"I can't hide those ones," she gasped.  
"Exactly," he whispered, pulling her closer to him with his other hand.

He winced and looked down at himself

Purple welts were scattered across his abdomen like a disease. It hurt to breathe and he wondered if some ribs were cracked. Most likely two on the left side from the way it only hurt when he went to intake and exhale air, but he pushed onward.

She needed this after what she'd saw today, and he needed after what he'd gone through.

"You okay?" She gasped.  
"I'm fine," he said, his finger still dipping inside her and spreading her. "You're almost there... I can feel it."

The rocking motion of his hand seemed to silence whatever reluctance she may have had and bucked against him.

She came with a shout and he follower right behind her with the motion of her body moving against him and the way she shouted his name and looked up at him as he milked her of her worries.

"I love you," he whispered as he tongued her neck, palming her bare breast gently.  
"Let's get you in bed with some bandages." She reached for the nob and turned the water off. "I love you too, but come on."

That was her own way of saying I love you, even though she said it right after.


	31. Curse of the Ninth

**A/N: Curse of the Ninth... hmm this should be interesting ;) After editing the sadness that is Jimel season four, I just needed something comfortable. Something normal and fluffy and pure. It's not much, but it's enough for me to sleep at night. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

The stairs were a lot higher than she'd expected at first.

She wasn't drunk, there was a slight buzz and she knew that, but her world seemed warm and fuzzy as if she could just laugh about how good everything was for day.

Jim was a little harder to get buzzed and always made fun of her for being such a light weight, and she didn't really mind.

"Why does a guy with talent like that work at a place like this?" She gasped as they reached the final step. "That was a climb."  
"That was eight stairs, Mel." Jim laughed. "We have more at home."  
"But when do I ever actually climb the stairs at home? You'll just carry me,"she giggled.  
"Mostly true," he whispered.  
"But as I was saying, that guy, he should be on the cover of Rolling Stone not serving drinks." She explained.  
"Maybe he gets monster tips here," he grunted and followed her.

He trailed behind at just the right speed to watch the swell of her ass rock back and forth with each step.

He'd never tell her this for fear of being made fun as he does her many times, but after the ten beers he had tonight, he was slightly buzzed and he couldn't wait to her get her home.

"Or maybe a ghost is stopping him from doing what he loves." She muttered. "I hate that. You're dead, you can't move on. I get it, but don't mess with the living, especially ones as talented as he is."  
"I'm gonna get the Jeep," he muttered, leaning in to kiss her, his hand pulling her in from behind her ear. "Stay here. stay warm. Get this ghost in to therapy and we'll go home.""  
"Right," she smiled at him.

He left quickly, wanting to get the Jeep as quickly as he could.

Melinda stood there, for only a moment before that guy who played the guitar earlier came up the bar steps.

"Oh hi, hey you were great up there." She told him, stepping with him for a second.  
"Thanks," he grinned. "I never did get you that next round of drinks. I'm sorry."  
"We cut ourselves off," she laughed and held out her hand. "I'm Melinda."  
"Nice to meet you," he said and shook her hand.  
"It was weird. What happened, are you okay?" She asked.  
"Yeah, it was just some feedback problems. It's happened before." He explained.  
"Oh really?" She asked as he went to turn away. "Like when you used to play with the Crimson Doves?"  
"Are you a fan?" He asked.  
"My husband is," she replied.  
"So he told you about the curse?" He smiled.  
"No. What curse?" She walked with him for another few steps, seeing the headlights of her Jeep and Jim in the driver's seat.  
"It's just a bad urban legend." He said and fixed his jacket as he turned. "Have a good night!"  
"Well do you have a second to talk?" She asked, stopping at the edge of the alley.

He was long gone, she admitted to herself.

The blue lights flickers and she looked up at the sign for the bar which now only showed the number 10 instead of gleaming the bar's name 9160.

Was the ghost around?

She looked over her shoulder, but didn't feel or see anything.

Strange.

Jim honked the horn twice and she ran to the Jeep, hopping in and buckling up.

"You talked to him," Jim admitted. "Did he say anything interesting."  
"Not really," she sighed. "He did mention a curse, but it seemed like more of a joke than anything else."  
"That's too bad," he said driving away slowly, careful of the bit of traffic. "Hey, I'm sorry about tonight. I know I promised to take you dancing."  
"It's fine," she smiled. "I had some fun."  
"I know, but still, I promised you dancing and didn't know the concert was tonight. They must'e moved the date up," he explained. "It was supposed to be on Saturday."  
"Oh," she smiled. "Well I'm glad your intentions were in the right mindset, but I still had fun even if I don't like that genre of music as much as you do."  
"Must've been from a bad childhood experience or something when my liking for that genre came to be a part of me." He grinned as he turned onto a back road too avoid being caught at the light.

He just wanted to get her home.

She fumbled with the radio and a slower song came on.

"This should help with my headache," she whispered. "Damn ghost..."  
"Oh honey," he sighed, reaching out to rub her back as he turned into their driveway. "Come on, I'll give you a massage inside."  
"That would be great," she grinned at him, reaching over to kiss him.

It was simple and quick, but he still made her heart race.

She got out of the car, trudging inside before peeling her boots off and sitting down on the stairs.

"You alright?" he asked.  
"Yeah, my head..." She whispered. "It's still spinning and my ears are ringing."  
"I was going to surprise you with some romantic music and dance for a bit with you, but you're looking pale." He touched her forehead. "Small fever, not too hot, but let's get you tucked into bed."  
"It might also have something to do with the alcohol from tonight," she chuckled.  
"Yeah, but nothing this serious." He said and lifted her to his chest.

He brought her to the bedroom in no time and sat her down on the bed.

"Can you get yourself undressed? I think being in little clothing would help cool you off,"  
"Trying to get me naked now, Clancy?" She laughed as she pulled her coat off, throwing it to the window seat.  
"Not intentionally," he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'm gonna go get you a Tylenol for your head and cold wash cloth."  
"Cold water too, please." She sighed, pulling her shirt over her head.

She shimmed out of her jeans and crawled under the covers, unclasping her bra and flinging it to the floor.

Her head spun in circles and she reached to turn off the side lamp as she shoved her face into a pillow.

"You forgot your necklace," he added, sitting next to her and taking it off and placing it on her side table. "Hey, I'll make you feel better." He turned her over onto her back and smiled at her before laying the wash cloth over her forehead. "Now sit up a little so you can take these."

She sat up a little as she could and took the medication a drink of cold water.

"Hold me?" She asked softly, laying back down.

He obliged, stripping down to his boxers quickly and slipping into bed next to her. She was warm to the touch, warmer than usual as he pressed up against her, letting his head nestle in the crook of her neck, pressing a kiss there.

"You sure you don't want that massage?" He whispered.  
"Not now," she murmured. "I'm comfortable right here."  
"Okay," he answered softly.  
"Promise me you leave?" She breathed.  
"Never," he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere."


	32. Giving Up The Ghost

**A/N:** **One of my favorites :) Giving up the Ghost... enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Justin left in a hurry, slamming the door behind him.

"Justin!" Melinda sighed, calling out to him.

Jim walked toward her and she went to meet him, to let him take her into his arms with a warm embrace and press kisses to her skin and whisper sweet words. That's what she needed right now, especially after that whole conversation with Justin.

She felt his presence.

It was intoxicating and made her heart slow.

"Leave him alone!" She cursed, facing the ghost and feeling his crushing energy.  
"Melinda?" Jim asked, stepping quicker but being shoved to the floor.  
"You leave Justin alone. He's better than I ever was, and you need to stay away from him." Matt hissed. "He's gonna win and it's gonna be all because of me."

His energy took over her and she feel to her knees, her body trembling as he disappeared.

"Jim," she gasped, inching over to him and hugging him. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Jim whispered. "What about you?"  
"Nothing I haven't dealt with before," she said softly, letting him hold her tighter.  
"I'm sick of them hurting you," Jim admitted. "Whether it be the living like with Justin or the dead. I hate it."  
"I know," she whispered, letting her hands roam through his hair. "I think we should be alright tonight. He used most of his energy on this spectacle."  
"Good," he gasped. "I think I bruised a rib or something."  
"Let's go bring this to the couch and I'll check on you," she said standing up slowly, still a bit woozy on her feet. "And then we can watch some more home videos."  
"I'm fine Mel," he laughed and then she sat him down. "Okay, that hurt more than I thought it would."  
"Okay, take your shirt off." She said softly, sitting on his lap. "Let me have a look..."

He gave her a look and she returned one to him. He complied and she helped him get his flannel off and bare his chest to her.

There was a little redness that looked tender on his left side and she kneeled before him, pressing a kiss to the sensitive area.

"I'm sorry this happened," she whispered.  
"Mel, it's just a little bruise. I'll live," he replied. "You're sweet though."

He reached for his shirt and winced slightly and she touched his hand.

"I'm not done admiring you yet," she admitted and moved his hand back.  
"I knew there was more of a reason than this for my shirt to be coming off," he replied, laying back into the couch.

Her hands traced over his rock hard stomach as she did so, and she couldn't resist flattening her hands on it and admiring it with a smile.

She just looked at him, relaxing against the couch shirtless. His muscled stomach, chest and arms proved that his new workout regimen had been working and was totally worth the extra hour he spent at the gym.

"You done yet?" He joked.  
"Never," she admitted and slid her hands over his stomach to undo his belt.

His eyes widened, and he froze when her fingers worked his jeans open and traced along the waistband of his boxers, tracing over outline of his erection.

"Oh Mel, what are you doing?" He gasped. "You don't have to..."  
She quirked an eyebrow at him as the corners of her mouth lifted. "Do you really want me to stop?"  
"No... not really," he was trying desperately to keep his from licking his lips in anticipation, her hands so close yet so far away from where he desperately wanted them to be.  
"Good, then stop asking questions." She laughed.

He watched as her hand disappeared into the gap in the front of his boxers and when her fingers wrapped around him, and his breath caught in his throat.

His erection sprung forward and he sighed in relief, the free and easy feeling of no longer being confined. The feeling was short-lived though and he almost lost it when the warmth of her mouth encapsulated the head of his erection for a brief moment, her hand gripping the base as she pumped him twice.

He rested his head on the back of the couch and his eyes were stuck on the ceiling.

He married a sex goddess and she was going to be the death of him.


	33. Cats Claw

**A/N: I will admit that what was written below was not what I had originally planned, but I will forever pretend it was because it's effing brilliant if I'm being honest LOL. Enjoy ;) xx Mariah**

* * *

Jim came home not long after Melinda returned from dropping Payne off, she hadn't even taken off her shoes yet when he entered behind her, locking the front door before meeting her with a kiss.

"Is Payne here?" Jim asked.  
"No," Melinda replied. slipping her boots off and hanging her coat up. "Why?"  
"His car is out front," he muttered.  
"Oh that's right," she whispered quietly to herself.  
"Was he here?" He asked.  
"Yes, he made a visit not long before we saw each other at Grogan's." She explained. "He was a bit too intoxicated and couldn't seem to find his keys, but then Martin showed up and we rushed out of here. I just dropped him off at home, so I'm guessing he'll have a nasty hangover tomorrow and come pick it up then."  
"Anything happen while he was here?" He pushed lightly, yanking off his work boots before hanging up his work jacket.

There was hesitation in her answer and her eyes told a different story then the one he knew she'd tell him.

It was simple for him to tell. He could tell when his wife's heart dropped out of rhythm, his hands coming to the hole in her chest, and she felt the pain but at the same time she didn't. She'd push it to the side and smile at him, eyes glimmering in the light.

Because instead of giving up and letting the pain take hold of her and do it's duty right then and there, she'd stand, held up by the strength she's gathered from each burn before, ready to take another hit.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied with that same brilliant smile she always showed him. "He said some things I wish he hadn't, which seems to be a pattern with him."  
"What'd he say?" He leaned in to gently caress her shoulder, feeling the warm of her skin warmed his hands up and he didn't mind being that much closer to her.  
"Oh, he just made some assumptions about my gift and some were right, even if I don't want to admit them." She whispered. "I'm glad you're home. I didn't want to go to bed alone."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head and went toward the stairs.

"Come on," he smiled at her and she took his hand, following him up the stairs into their bedroom.

He closed the door behind her and flipped the light on, watching as he hips swayed deliciously as she maneuvered around the bed post and let a look linger over her shoulder.

"What?" She breathed, letting her dress slip off and pool at her feet, leaving her bare besides the blue panties that she wiggled off her hips and then leaned against the door frame. "Enjoying the view?"

The smirk she loved dearly graced his cheeks and he darted toward her, scaling over the bed with a graceful slide that reminded her for a second how hot it would be to see him play baseball again and slide in at home plate like when they were first dating, but them hands were on her, drawing masterpieces against her skin as he pulled her to his arms.

"I always do Mel," he whispered lightly against her ear before kissing her with such passion that his arms were all that were holding her up right.  
"We should," she gasped, pulling away. "Get some sleep. You have an early shift."

She pulled away from him slightly, enough to grab her nightgown and slip it over effortlessly, pulling her hair from the fabric and letting it splay over her shoulders.

"Yeah," he breathed. "That's right. I almost forgot."  
"You almost always do," she laughed and slid into bed, readjusting her breasts in the top before lying against the pillow.

He stripped from his uniform quickly and was in nothing but his loose boxers.

"How was Dr. Grogan when you left?" She asked.  
"Better," he admitted, sliding in next to her. "They pumped her stomach immediately when she was brought in, but you saved her life Mel. You know that right?"  
"Oh, it was nothing. i wouldn't have known if it weren't for my ghost," she sighed, smiling at him.  
"Still, you saved her." He smiled. "I love you."  
"I love you too," she kissed him and then laid back down, feeling his eyes probing her with questions she didn't want to give him answers to tonight. "I told him."  
"You did?" He asked.  
"Yeah, my ghosts were starting to evade his life," she explained. "And I couldn't think up of a rational explanation..." She paused, tears hidden beneath, but threatening to spill in that moment as she looked over at him with a soft smile. "I run out of lies sometimes."  
"No," he whispered. "They are not lies Melinda. Do not say that."  
"He probably didn't believe me with all that alcohol in his system, and hopefully he'll just chuck it up to a bad dream." She laughed, trying to make light of it as she wiped away one stray tear and he played along with it, but only because he wanted her to feel good for a little bit at least.  
"Hopefully," he chuckled and crossed his fingers in a gesture to her before wrapping his arms around her waist before cuddling up against her.  
"Ugh, I can sleep now that you're home." She yawned.  
"Yes, sleep." He whispered and pressed a kiss to her neck.  
"Jim," she laughed. "Don't."  
"Don't what?" His hand had already slid between her thighs before the words left her mouth.

She gasped as his fingers traced along her entrance and she looked at him, eyes wide and filled with lust and love for the man she loved so dearly.

He knew just what to do.

Damn him.

"Do you really want to sleep right now?" he whispered.  
"Jim," she gasped as one finger slipped inside her warmth, settling for a moment before moving slowly.

Her hips bucked as the second slipped in and she melted against him.

She was a puddle of water when it came to his touch. All it took was a ripple.

"You're my favorite," he whispered, offhand.  
"Favorite what?" She moaned, smiling at him as he licked her jaw, nibbling slightly.  
"Oh, well," he stammered. "Well, just that. You're my favorite pair of eyes to look into." A third slipped in, moving quicker as he heart skipped a beat. "My favorite name to see appear at the fire station with either a smile or a little gift of food." He picked her leg up and hoisted it on top of his thigh as he slipped his boxers off. "My favorite person to just be with." He removed his fingers and licked them clean as he entered and she lost the will to keep her eyes open. His lips moved back to her ear, before whispering the rest of his thought to her, "It's a fill in the blank, gorgeous. I left it at favorite for a reason."  
"You're my favorite too," she whispered back.


	34. Dead To Rights

**A/N: Okay... I did originally plan to write the scene with Payne too the next morning, but hey, I change my mind :). Don't hate me? I promise I'll make it up to you :D**

 **I love you Therese :) Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

The sound of the shower filled her ears as she stepped into their home.

She'd seen Jim's truck in the driveway when she'd pulled in and a smile graced her face.

Jim was in the shower, or about to be in the shower. Either way, he was wearing little to no clothing and that definitely put a jump in her step as she climbed the stairs.

"Jim?" She called out as she reached the top, pulling off her coat and going to bring it in to their room, but when she saw his outline in the shower, she dropped it. She'd pick that up later.  
"Shower," he called back.  
"Oooh that's a good idea!" she grinned. "Is there room for me?"  
"That can be arranged," he pulled back the curtain enough to let her see his smug smiled as he looked her up and down.

She reached for the hem of her top and went to pull it up, but her phone rang and she looked down at her jacket. Kneeling down, she retrieved it and answered it.

"Hello?" She said pointedly.  
"Is it raining where you are?" Payne asked.  
"Professor Payne," she sighed, noticing Jim's glance again and smiling at him. "The answer is no, it's the shower."  
"That's a little too much information," Payne responded. "Actually, that's not enough information."  
"Well that's all you're getting," she muttered.  
"You're cruel, but you knew that didn't you?" Payne joked.  
"No, cruel would be if I run out of hot water. What can I do for you?" She responded quickly.  
"I know you may find this difficult to believe, but I may have made an error." Payne replied.  
"I find it shocking that you're admitting it. What's your error?" She chuckled.  
"That Latin translation I gave you. It seems my linguistics are a bit rusty," Payne answered.  
"Oh, well no worries. It's all taken care of. Game over for now." She explained. "I crossed the ghost over."  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Payne retorted.  
"So what does it mean?" She asked.  
"It means death of a loved one," Payne replied.

She turned to see Jim in the shower still, scrubbing his torso and her heart skipped a beat.

It couldn't be right.

Ghosts do that sometimes, she tried to make herself think of other empty threats. They threaten in order to get things done, and most of the time... nothing ever comes of it.

"Well sometimes ghosts make empty threats. It's happened before," she responded.  
"I hope that's what this was," Payne said. "I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."  
"Me either," she whispered and pulled her top of her head, unclasping her bra.  
"Mel, you coming or not?" Jim called.  
"Looks like you have a shower to get to," Payne chuckled.  
"Yes, it looks like I do." She replied.  
"Stop by my office tomorrow and give me all the juicy details," Payne joked.  
"I'll stop by, but not for that reason." She laughed as she wiggled out of her pants and panties. "Goodbye Rick."  
"Goodbye Melinda," she could sense that grin of his and hung up without a second thought.

She marched to the bathroom and reached behind her to unzip her top, but her hands strained before she could reach it and she sighed.

"Jim?" He peeked an eye out from behind the shower curtain and smiled as he saw her.  
"You look better than you did this morning in that outfit, and that's saying something because you were not wearing anything this morning." He grinned.  
"Unzip me?" She turned around and looked over her shoulder as the curtain moved a bit more and she saw more of him, all of him and her thighs tensed.

Her whole body did and his slick fingers pulled the zipper down effortlessly. She felt drops of water slide down her skin and she let one stray moan leave her throat.

He chuckled and she let the rest of her clothes slide off before quickly getting into the shower.

The water was still hot enough and she moved in front of him, her hands only grazing over his chest as she walked into the spray of the water. She tipped her head back under the shower stream, eyes closed, while running her hands down her hair to get it wet.

He was holding himself back, that was for sure because seeing his wife's wet, naked body sparked something inside him.

Melinda reached down to grab the soap off the shelf.

"Here let me," he said, reaching over to take the soap out of her hand.

He motioned for her to turn around and then he began washing her back, running the soap up and down her skin slowly. Setting the soap down on the shelf, he slid his arms around to the front of her body and began slowly rubbing his soapy hands all over her breasts. Brushing his thumb across one of her nipples, he felt it instantly harden and Melinda let out a little moan, leaning back into him, resting her back against his chest and bringing her arms up behind her head to his neck.

"What happened today? Did you cross that ghost over?" He whispered in her neck, breathing in the scent of her soap.  
"I don't want to talk about it," she answered, looking up at him. "Not now."

He gave up, for now, and slid his hands down her abdomen and rested it between her thighs, cupping her with his palm, the water from the shower pouring down around them and running over their bodies. She let out another moan before abruptly turning around to face her. Lowering her hands from his neck, she slid them down his chest and lowered herself onto her knees in the bathtub.

Keeping one hand on his abdomen to steady herself, she wrapped her other hand around his package, bringing it to her mouth. Pursing her lips, she pressed a kiss to the tip before darting out her tongue and swirling it around.

"Mel," he moaned, bracing himself against the shower wall with one hand, in case his knees buckled.

He brought his other hand around to gently cup the back of her head as she went down on him. She put her lips around the tip of Jim's cock and slid her mouth all the way down the shaft until her lips reached her hand before bringing her mouth all the way back up, stroking him with her hand several times. Dragging her nails down his abdomen, she brought her hand around to cup his rear in her palm, pulling him closer and taking him farther into her mouth.

"I'm gonna fall over Mel," he gasped.

She smiled with her eyes at him as he looked down to watch his wife as she kneeled before him in the shower, the water from cascading down around her. It wasn't the first time she'd gone down on him but it was the first time she'd down it in the shower in too long and he wanted the memory of it burned into his brain.

He could feel his orgasm starting to build up inside of him and with the content little sighs and moans coming out of her as she repeatedly hollowed out her cheeks, pulling him all the way into and then back out of her mouth, he knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

He had minutes if she kept going, and with each second he knew that time was dwindling quicker and quicker.

"Okay, baby. As much as I hate to say this... you gotta stop or I'm not gonna to last much longer." He panted, tugging gently on her head.

She eased her mouth off him, planting a kiss on hipbone and marking him with a sweet smile before getting up off her knees. She rose up on her tiptoes and brought her mouth to meet his as his lips crashed down onto hers. She sighed into the kiss, opening her mouth to allow his tongue to slip past her lips, enjoying the feel of it inside her warm mouth as it danced together with hers.

"What's up? Why are you acting so strange?" He whispered, pressing her up against the tile. "I'm not going anywhere babe, you know that right?"  
"You never know what might happen," she replied. "Especially with all the dangers I face every day... what if one day it rubs off on you."  
"That will never happen," he promised. "I will always be right here, by your side with a strong shoulder for you to lean your head on." She could feel his hands sliding down her wet body and she gave a little yelp when he grabbed the backs of her legs, hitching her body up onto his. She wrapped her legs around his waist, crossing her ankles to lock them in place. "Okay?"  
"Okay," she answered, her hands cupping his cheeks as he pressed a kiss to her nose.

She didn't need to worry about slipping, Jim was more than strong enough to brace her in any type of situation, especially one like this. Jim gently pushed her head to the side and pushed the wet strands of hair back, exposing her neck. He bent down and began sucking on the hollow of her collarbone, knowing he was probably going to leave a mark but not caring one bit.

She whimpered at his kisses and bucked her hips forward, pressing their bodies together even closer, dragging her nails through his wet hair and pulling his head down into her neck even further. He knew she was soaking wet and it had nothing to do with the water from the shower.

The water that was becoming increasingly cooler they longer they stayed in there, but neither of them were one bit cold.

Reaching his free hand down between their bodies he slid his fingers along her slick folds before slipping his middle finger inside her heated core, taking pleasure in just how wet she really was. She was practically dripping for him and it made him feel good knowing he could make her feel like this.

She was his wife after all, and each time meant something different to him. Each time was different than the last, even with their perfected moves for each other and that was what made them work so well. They worked together to make each other get there, it was never one person doing all the work.

He slowly stroked his finger in and out of her slick channel, eliciting several moans from her as he slid another finger inside her and began moving them in and out in a rhythmic twisting motion while rubbing her center with this thumb. He continued his mouth's assault on her neck, peppering it up and down with soft kisses, paying particular attention to the area just below her ear because he knew that drove her wild.

"Don't..stop..." She managed to choke out as she felt the slow burn of her desire start to spread itself out from her belly, snaking its way across her entire body and making it hard for her to concentrate on anything else but the slow, delicious heat threatening to burn its way through her with the speed of a freight train. "Jim! Oh... please Jim just give it to me."

She rocked her hips back and forth, matching the rhythm of his fingers and she could feel herself slipping over the edge into blissful oblivion before he abruptly slipped his fingers out of her, breaking the contact between them and causing her to cry out with disappointment.

"Sorry," he said with a smirk, grinning at her, "but I like being inside of you when you come."

Gripping himself at the base of his shaft, he gave himself a couple of strokes before positioning himself at her entrance and slowly thrusting himself inside her, earning a rasping moan from his wife's lips.

He pressed his face against her shoulder, nipping at her skin as he found a rhythm.

He gave it to her like he hadn't in a while, his hips slamming against hers in a motion that made him fear he could break her, even though he knew he wouldn't. She clawed at his skin, biting his ear in pleasure as he buried himself as far as he could.

He knew what she'd meant earlier, of how she was afraid she could lose him. And she was right.

Neither of them knew what tomorrow held. All they had was this moment right now, and what right now held was a whole lot of pleasure and he sure as hell wasn't going to let anyone or anything stop it.

The water from the shower cascaded over their bodies as they moved together as one and he could feel the slow burn began to spread back throughout his body. He picked up the pace, thrusting himself over and over again into her core, enjoying the feel of her sheathing him in their delicious heat.

Melinda dug her nails into his back as he continuously drove his hips into hers, driving himself deep inside her and filling up the most intimate part of her. She could feel her orgasm bubbling up inside of her again and she rocked her hips back in forth in time with his, impatient for the sweet release to wash over her.

"Jim," she mewled in his ear. "Please..."

The water in the shower was cold as ice, but they didn't even notice, the burning inside their bodies overshadowed all other sensations as Jim repeatedly buried himself deep within Melinda, his heavy breathing hot on her neck as he drug his lips up and down it, placing kisses here and there.

She slid her hands up Jim's back and placed them on either side of his face, pulling it away from her neck so she could look him in the eye.

"I love you," she practically croaked as her orgasm ripped through her body, causing every one of her muscles to shudder with the sensations.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she tossed her head side to side as her walls began contracting rapidly around him and the slow burning fire consumed her entire body, the sweet delicious heat spreading itself out from her belly and threatening to burn her alive before it was finished its assault on her. He watched his wife came undone in his arms, her eyes fluttering shut as her orgasm overwhelmed her senses and spread itself through her body, causing every part of her to shudder under the assault of the sensations.

She never looked more beautiful than in these most intimate moments he knew that she'd only share with him.

He cherished it, the moments they shared together. The most intimate of times like this very one were the most precious.

He managed to hold her up as his own orgasm swept through his body, causing his knees to almost buckle as his leg muscles melted like plastic. He thrust himself inside her a couple more times, taking pleasure in the sensations, not unlike that of being a tightly coiled spring being unwound, and felt all the tension roll out of his body. He slowed his movements inside of her as the last of the waves washed over him before becoming still.

He collapsed his weight against her, being careful not to crush her with his weight. Her body stilled as he rested his forehead against hers, their bodies heaving together as they both caught their breath.

He brought his mouth down onto hers for a long, soft kiss before he slowly eased himself out of her, making sure to hold her steady with his arm. With his help, she unhooked her legs from around his waist and slowly lowered them till she was standing.

She turned the faucet off and opened the curtain, grabbing her robe as she slipped out and waited for him.

"I'm starving," she whispered. "Did you make anything before you came up?"  
"I love you," he said as he grabbed himself a towel and wrapped it around his waist.  
"I know," she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist and letting her robe soak up some of the water form his back as she moved her hands over the expanse of his wet skin. "And I love you too."

He pressed a kiss to her head before guiding her downstairs to make her a bedtime treat.


	35. Déjà Boo

**A/N: Déjà Boo is one of my favorites! Okay I basically adore all of season one and two, but besides that point this is one of my favorites because its very Jimel centric. Besides the beginning scene of this episode with the scene where Jim chases Mel upstairs and has his way with her ;) wanky, I know lol, but I couldn't go with the obvious choice and thought up of something even better ;)**

 **Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

"Wanna race?" Jim suggested.

And that was that.

She took off for the stairs as fast as she could, taking them with stride as Jim yelled at her from behind.

He wanted to beat her, to claim her as his prize and take their time getting ready, but Holly would be here and as much as she'd love to pretend that they'd be plan free as they had been this morning, she just couldn't.

"What is wrong with you? Accept your defeat," she chuckled as he pulled her close, walking away toward her closer.

Jim pulled his shirt over his head and kicked his shoes off, watching her as she shrugged her flannel off. She threw it over the closet door, making sure it would stay before she turned to her closet, feeling his eyes on her.

"Ahh, you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked, walking toward his side of the bed.  
"Yeah, they are gonna be in here in fifteen minutes," she said looking over at him.  
"I thought you were good at multitasking," he slid over the bed perfectly and fell to his knees, pressing kisses into her jeans.

He grasped her hips and pulled to him as he stood, pressing kisses into her neck and upper back.

"Saved by the phone!" She exclaimed as it rang loudly.

He went to take it from her and reject the call, but luckily she pressed it to her ear before he could.

"Hello?" She said as she pushed him off. "Holly hi! No, no no. You just take your time," Jim sat on the bed and tried to pull her to him, but she swatted him away nicely, laughing softly. "We'll be right her waiting for you when you get here. "Okay. Bye." She placed the phone back on its holder and looked up at him. "Holly's running a little late and Scott's stuck at work."  
"Bummer," he said standing before her.  
"Yeah," she sighed, itching her neck. "They could be at least a half an hour."  
"Damn them," he said.

He went in for it before she could, grabbing her and lifting her up, slamming her down to the bed before climbing on top of her.

"What do you think you're doing mister?" She laughed.  
"Multitasking," he breathed, capturing her lips in his to silence her and she melted into his, her hand grasping at his hair as they molded together.

He pulled her jeans down, finding the hem of her panties and puling them down as well before kissing his way down between her breasts and unclasping it from the front.

He loved those kinds.

He lowered his head to kiss from her shoulder over the firm mound of her breast. She closed her eyes, to focus on the incredible sensation of his lips on her. It was the only time her nipples found a home in the warmth of his mouth and it brought her to the point of incomprehension.

"Jim," she moaned, arching her back instinctively against his mouth.  
"Mmmm." he hummed, and she felt the vibration race through to the deepest part of her belly.

He kneaded her soft flesh, reveling in the thrill of holding her breasts without barriers, searching for the sensation that would bring her the most pleasure. He left a line of wet kisses up over her neck until he'd captured her earlobe in his teeth, tugging gently.

She tugged at his curls and, not very gently, pushed his head back down over her breasts.

"Keep going," she begged.  
"Only because you asked so nicely," he grinned, moving back over her neck and kissing softly as he made his way down lower.  
"Please..." She gasped, feeling his lips tease the sensitive bud.  
"That's my girl," he whispered and took her nipple into his mouth.

He nipped at the hollow of her throat and her head fell backward at the sensation. He always made her feel so irresistible when he got her in his arms like this.

"Roll over," she moaned in reply.

He nodded against her neck as his hands loop around her hips and pull her on top, putting himself below her.

She cupped his face with her palms to pry his lips away from her neck and slanted her mouth over his. She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and suckled it, reveling in the mewl from the back of his throat.

She could feel him tugging on his jeans desperately to figure out a way to rid himself of them without breaking the connection of their bodies. He seemed to finally just push his jeans and boxers out of the way enough to expose himself.

She'd never been so grateful for his strength as when he picked her up with a grip under her ass and scooted her forward so the tip of his erection brushed against her already seeping entrance. She relaxed her clenched thighs and sunk down around him, whimpering from the incredible way he felt inside her.

" _Mel_ _i_ _nda_ _,"_ he hissed into her mouth before he lapped his tongue against her own.

She clawed at his shoulder blades as he guided her by the curve of her tightly cinched waist, quickly setting a steady and slightly punishing pace. She matched it with a swivel of her hips and grinned in satisfaction as he pried his mouth away so he could toss his head back against the pillows and growl wantonly.

She set their pace, slowing slightly as his hands traveled up her torso before he leaned his face forward and took one of her nipples firmly between his teeth. She cried aloud into the ceiling, her fingers abandoning the toned muscles of his upper back in favor of knotting in the dark hair at the base of his neck to pull his face ever closer. He laved his tongue between her breasts and suckled the other nipple for a split second before it dropped from his mouth.

"Melinda… Melinda, ah… I love you," he groaned, burying his face into the crook of her neck as she continued to writhe and buck on top of him.

Her fingers tug a bit too hard on his hair at his words, and if not for his arm around her waist and hand on her ass to guide her movements and keep up their rhythm, she might have frozen in place and just kissed him.

She loved her husband so much.

She didn't have the head-space to revel in his words, though - not when she could feel the tip of him brush that sweet spot inside her that sent her hurdling towards the precipice. She clung to his neck and buried her face in his hair.

There was a harsh ring of the doorbell, but she didn't care.

She had to finish, they had to.

He murmured how close he was and she nodded, keening that she was, too. He twined his hand in her own tresses and arched her head down to him, claiming her mouth roughly as they shouted out their near-simultaneous releases and he went still under her.

She leaned forward and swept his lips to hers before saying, quite matter-of-factly _, "I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."  
_ "That makes me feel better," he grinned. "But we have to get dressed."  
"I don't want to," she sighed. "I don't want to move."  
"I'll make it up to you later," he nipped at her jaw and stood up, setting her down on her feet.  
"Oh alright," she said as the doorbell rang again, running to her closet to grab something to wear.

Jim was dressed quickly, only having to pull up his jeans and boxers and pull on a nicer shirt with a spray of cologne before he dashed downstairs, leaving her smile at him as she dressed herself.

* * *

Melinda and Jim had spent their entire lunch together at the store.

After some convincing, Melinda had gotten Delia to take an early lunch and relax a little at home in order for her and Jim to investigate more on Eric's life and his connections to Johnny, Richard and Oscar, but hadn't come up with anything solid yet.

"There is no way he could've known them," she said looking at her pages of info she'd written down the night before. "Listen to this Jim! John Richmond died in 1945, Oscar Hodges died in 1963 and Richard Ward in 1983, a year before Eric was even born. How would he have known them?"  
"A connection to Holly?" He asked, finishing his sandwich.  
"Not that I can tell," she sighed. "I told his sister that I would buy the rest of his stuff because after selling all the other pieces besides the ones I tucked in the back, it'll make a good profit off them, but I might be able to get something off them... you never know."  
"Told you I could figure it out," he said and leaning in to kiss her neck, hoping to spend the last twenty minutes of their lunch doing something a bit more interesting.

He didn't want to have to go home alone and spend hours by himself while she worked without having an image to savor. His lips met her skin once, finding her pulse point and which jumped as she pulled away before he could reel her in.

"I'm working," she grinned at him.

Jim glanced ahead and looked at Delia who was talking to Tim and smiled.

"Oh, look." He said softly. "Oh it's perfect."

They stepped together toward the glass doors and watched as they laughed by the coffee stand, making small talk.

"You really think he's interested?" She asked, hoping Jim's friend wouldn't hurt hers.  
"Definitely, he's just, if you can believe it, shy around women." Jim explained.  
"Well, maybe we can help them along." She smiled as Eric's sister pulled up. "Oh, there she is."

Jim watched her as she bent forward to speak to the woman in the truck and smiled.

His wife looked so good in pencil skirts, especially when she'd bend down like that and give him the perfect view of her desirable rear.

He took a sip of his coffee and tried to distract himself for the view in order to keep himself composed to unload the stuff. It would be far too complicated to have a hard on when around people other than his wife.

"What are you so concentrated on?" Melinda asked as she entered again, pulling his hand toward the back entrance.  
"Nothing," he replied, opening the door for her and following her out.

* * *

He sat her desk as she saw off Eric's sister as Delia returned with Tim, laughing.

"Heya Jim!" Tim smiled. "What are you doing here?"  
"My wife," he laughed.  
"Oh that's right," Tim grinned as Melinda returned, locking the door once again.  
"Hi Delia, Tim. Did you have a good lunch?" Melinda asked.  
"I did," Delia smiled. "I hope you don't mind Tim here, we just wanted to finish our conversation."  
"I don't mind it at all," Melinda smiled as she sat on Jim's lap. "Thank you for all your help today."  
"Any time," he smiled. "Can I get my payment now?"

She nodded and he eyes brightened, his pupils growing as his hand reached under her hair below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek. Suddenly she saw him, his eyes revealing more than his words could express. Her lips part and their breaths mingled. Her heart fluttered as he pulled me to his lips.

If the eyes are the gateway to the soul, the lips are the same thing for the body. They are softness, passion and the promise of the sweetness to come.

She pulled back and looked at him, sweeping hair behind his ear.

"Thank you," she smiled.

Tim cleared his throat and Delia giggled.

"We're still here, you know." Tim laughed.  
"Thank you, I have to watch them do this every day. Not that I mind, they are so adorable together." Delia explained. "It does get a bit boring after a while though."  
"Well, Delia, would you mind watching the store? I have to bring Jim home since I picked him up to help out with unloading all this," she explained.  
"Sure thing boss lady," Delia smiled.  
"Thanks," she pulled Jim's hand and grabbed her purse and keys, waving to Tim as they left.  
"So does this mean what I think it means?" He grinned.  
"Oh yes," she laughed. "I saw you watching me earlier when I bent down to talk to Eric's sister... there are things known as mirrors."  
"Oh snap," he sighed.  
"Like you care that I saw," she pushed him away and hopped in the driver's seat, and he could hardly contain his excitement.


	36. Speed Demon

**A/N: Speed Demon... not a favorite of mine if I'm being honest. The ghost is just so creepy and annoying lol. I did like the Jimel ghost busting that happened though ;) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda had left the previous day after their daily lunch to travel to the estate sale.

It was a six hour drive and she wanted to be well prepared for the sale, so she left a day early in order to be well rested for the sale.

Jim had been upset he couldn't come along, even after requesting the days off, he hadn't been able to get them and instead stayed behind. He hated being away from her even to work, but two whole days? That was torture for him.

He hated how cold the bed was, how quiet the house was without her laugh or cheerful voice. He hated being without his wife who made his day brighter just with a smile.

She only nineteen miles from home. Less than an hour, and he couldn't wait.

The fruit stand that she was set on the fact that we'd bought apples there once.

He loved her so much.

But then she cut out. Static.

"Mel?" He called into the phone. "Melinda? Are you there? Mel?"

No response.

He looked at the phone to see that it had failed and immediately pressed redial.

"Redial," he muttered over and over again as he pressed the button and held the phone to his ear.

"We're sorry, but the person you are trying to call cannot be reached. Please hand up and try the call again." The phone operator said in its mono toned voice.

"Damn," he muttered and set the phone down.

She must've went out of the reach of the phone towers for a moment.

She'd call him back.

He knew she would.

* * *

Melinda's back involuntarily arched as she squirmed; the sound of the bed creaking as Jim adjusted his leg. She let out a gentle mewl as Jim's tongue flicked over her center, her quivering legs parting for further access.

"I missed you," he muttered.

She hummed in response, smiling at him as he peered up at her.

"I missed you too... that hotel bed was cold without your arms." She muttered. "I'm so glad to be home, in our bed, with you."

He could feel her dripping, coating the inside of her upper legs as he bit down, gently moving his fingers past her slick folds to push two inside of her.

"Jim," her breathy moan hitched in the back of her throat as she bucked her hips a little and screwed her eyes shut. "Oh goodness..."

She ran her fingers through his mess of hair and pulled on it tightly as he worked his fingers quickly.

"Ahh," she hissed.  
"Scream for me," he smiled wickedly when she cried out as his fingers left her. "I love it when you scream."  
"You have to do something worthy of a scream," she giggled.

He stood up on his knees and she moved up onto her elbows, pulling her top over her head and throwing it.

"Oh I will," he smirked, pulling his belt off and going for the button his jeans.  
"Ooh let me," she giggled, moving quickly to cup the bulge which pulsed slightly against his leg.

She slid his jeans off and ran her hand up and down a couple of times, squeezing him over the material of his boxers before helping to ease his jeans and underwear down all the way. His erection immediately sprung to life, resting hard up against his belly.

"Mmm," she hummed, kissing his shaft and then his hipbone. "I missed this too..."

He pushed her back lightly, moving over her and kissing her neck as he moved against her.

"I love you, you know that right?" He whispered as he moved into her slightly, pushing in deeper until she felt the familiar — so good — stretching. "Because, I just… need you. I hate when you leave."  
"Me too," she smiled. "It's especially hard for me when you work your doubles... it's so cold and lonely here."  
"I'll take less doubles," he said, his supporting arms wobbling as he pulled back and pushed deeper into her. "I need you, Melinda. So badly."

With his next thrust, he pushed in deeper to her, causing them both to groan loudly and her head fell back into the sheets, thrashing slightly. As his body moved fluidly with her own, she could feel his heart beating quicker inside of his chest and when she glanced up to meet his face, his eyes were watching her intently, glazed over with lust but wide as if not wanting to miss a single minute of this moment.

He tried to force hers to remain open, watching his tongue dart out to wet his parted lips, the way his pale skin flushed red with exertion and the light bead of sweat that trickled along his brow and the top of his forehead, causing some of his black hair to cling to it.

"You're so handsome," she whispered, pushing his hair back with her free hand, the other clinging to his back desperately, her nails dug deep into his skin, scraping down to where his lower back dips. "So so handsome."  
"You're crazy," he chuckled before pressing his lips down onto hers again.

She laughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead before she kissed him.

"You're handsome, and sexy, and caring, and noble. I love you with everything-" He kissed her as his body moved quicker against hers and she felt the familiar irregular rhythm beginning to pick up in his hips as he drew her closer to the edge.

He reached down in-between us, running a finger through her thin patch of hair before finding her center and rubbing it with his calloused finger a couple of times, causing colors to burst behind her closed eyelids.

"Oh… keep doing that," she urged, bucking her hips into his own more quickly. He bit his lip, a constant string of moans fell from them as he stroked into her faster and harder. "Right there... don't you dare move from this..." He let out a low groan as he nibbled against her neck, watching as she slowly melt below him, but still pumping himself inside of her erratically. "I'm… it's… ahhh—"  
"That's my girl," he urged, running his hands up from her waist to her face as he kissed her.  
"Oh, yes! God, Mel," he mumbles almost incoherently against her lips.

He continued to thrust lazily inside of her, his body shivering every couple of seconds as another wave of pleasure rocks him.

Her eyes closed with satisfaction and she leaned into the mattress more easily, running her hands over his head tenderly as their heartbeats begin to slow back to normal.

"I love you," he whispered. "No matter what..."  
"I love you too," she laughed, kissing his sweaty neck before pushing him off. "Now come on... sleep. We need sleep."

She laid in his arms, not minding the way their skin stuck together from the sweat, knowing they'd shower together in the morning anyway.

* * *

He woke up before her, as he usually did and just gazed at her beauty.

She pouted her lips when she slept and tucked herself into a little ball if she got cold enough, and last night had been a cold one. She'd tucked herself completely into him to keep herself warm last night and he'd enjoyed every moment of it before she completely tucked herself under the blanket and turned away from him.

She needed her sleep, he admitted and kissed her bare shoulder before going to pull himself out of bed.

He needed a shower.

He flipped the water on and quickly released his bladder before he hopped in, the water just the right temperature.

He dipped his head under the water, letting it run through his hair and down his shoulders. He regretted not waking her up now, he admitted as he felt himself grow as he did every morning, but usually had to take care of it himself. At least he did now that he had earlier shifts, but he would never wake his wife for something so stupid as a morning hard on.

Melinda sauntered through the curtain, closing it behind her, letting her hands roam up his back.

"Ooh someone's awake," she hummed against his back as he grasped his erection. "Thinking about me?"

He threw her a heart stopping smile over his shoulder before he turned around.

"Guilty as charged?" He whispered. "You were just so poised in the bed this morning... so beautiful and warm."

He grabbed his body soap and put some in his hand. He began lathering his arms, his upper chest and stomach.

A heated blush rose from her almost toes to her eyes. She was allowed to gawk at him, wasn't she?

Her mind revolted to what she needed to get done. She had to wash her hair.

She pumped the shampoo into her hand and lathered it into her hair, humming softly as she slid past Jim to rinse it out.

"Let me," he whispered, taking her sudsy hair and rinsing it out carefully before pressing a kiss to the back of her neck.

She reached for his bottle of body wash and lathered up the soap to begin washing her arms. A pair of tan hands stopped her. She looked back to see Jim, his mouth pulled sideways into that smile she loved.

"This too?" She laughed.

How could she possibly resist that smile that made her heart swell, knees shake, and mind numb? She couldn't. She didn't, she shrugged and watched, spellbound, as he scooped the soap from her hands and began to wash her right arm. Strong, tan hands rubbed and swirled their way around her hand and up her arm.

Reaching her shoulder, he massaged the shoulder, front and back, then her neck. He then began work on her left shoulder. He mirrored his ministrations on her left arm, then entwined his fingers with hers. He pulled his head up and their eyes met.

His mouth met hers faster than she could track and she let out another sigh. She drank in the kiss, tipping her head up to meet his mouth better. His arms encircled her waist, pulling her firmly to him. She stiffened a little, then moaned as her breasts pressed tightly against his chest. Her own hands rose and twined themselves in his hair. After a few seconds, strong hands traveled just a bit lower and grabbed at her rear, admiring it with his hands as he pulled her near to him.

"I have to be at work soon," she gasped as his lips wandered over her upper body.

A kiss to her shoulder, one to her neck, another at her chin. He worked his way to her earlobe and nibbled. She let out an enjoyable moan.

"And?" He moaned. "Delia will be fine if you're a few minutes late... she has a key, right?"  
"Yeah," she melted into his arms as his fingertips ran up the sides of her torso, barely missing her breasts, but the next time, they didn't. "I guess I can be a few minutes late..."

He pressed his head against her nipple, taking it into his mouth with a flick of the tongue, just a touch of teeth.

She didn't bother to try to contain her mewling; she began to assume that she was supposed to react in this manner. He always enjoyed how vocal she could be.

"Oh," she moaned. "Jim... make that an I'll definitely be late," she purred.

* * *

They were in the kitchen, dressed and talking about the night before which hadn't come up when she'd gotten home.

He was finishing off a bowl of cereal and she was spreading cream cheese onto his bagel he would eat after too.

"I just don't remember you ever being haunted by an actual skeleton before," he muttered, shoveling the last bite of cereal into his mouth.

Her husband could eat, always, and it made her smile.

"Oh it was a ghost believe me," she muttered.  
"Don't they usually look the way they died the first time they come to you?" He asked.

Oh Jim, her heart melted. He paid attention to most of their ghostly conversations and she loved that about him.

He never once just pretended to listen, he always did.

"Yeah, so let's not even think about what happened to this guy." She said, spreading more cream cheese onto the bagel.  
"How about we stay off that road so we never have to run into Halloween man again?" He suggested, taking a sip of his coffee.  
"I love the 'Jim Clancy' simple approach," she joked, smiling at him and twitching her nose a little.  
"Avoidance," he said simply. "It's worked for guys, for centuries."  
"He said someone was going to die," she explained. "That doesn't exactly make me lean toward the option of avoidance."  
"Alright, what does it mean?" He asked.

She moved past him, setting the last of his food on the plate and wiping her hands off as she walked toward her coat.

"I don't know, I'll try and figure it out." She sighed.  
"How?" He asked, following her.  
"Don't know," she hummed as she grabbed her coat and purse. "See you for lunch?"

She met him halfway for a decent, abrupt kiss and turned to go, not truly wanting to go to work after their nice morning.

He put his arm behind her, stopping her movement to pulled her in for another kiss, one that was just as quick but almost soothed her for having to leave.

She smiled at him widely through not only her teeth, but through her eyes too. She loved him so much.

"Same time? Same bench?" He asked, smiling down at her.  
She couldn't help but laugh at him.

He didn't want her to go just as much as she didn't want to leave.

"Yeah," she grinned at him, turning to leave. "Bye." She pulled her coat on and opened the door, blowing a kiss to him. "Make sure you eat that thing while it's still hot and not gross."  
"I will, but wait..." He ran to her and kissed her deeply, letting a little more time escape between them as he made her sure to kiss her properly before she left if he could. "I love you."  
"I love you too," she whispered, letting her hand rub the side of his face before pecking him again and slipping from his grasp to walk to her car. "See you."

He waved and watched her drive off before he closed the door and went to eat his bagel.


	37. Mean Ghost

**A/N: Mean Ghost, one of the more exciting episodes of Ghost Whisperer. Therese... what would I do without you? Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Jim sat beside her, his hand resting just a hair away from her knee. His hand was soothing, moving actually, rubbing her softly to keep her screaming about how really felt.

Because he already knew.

"There's not much else I can do at the high school," she sighed. "You should've seen the way the coach looked at me, like I was some freak. And that's how I felt... like a total freak right back in my old high school."

Jim smiled at her and shook her head, looking back at the fireplace.

"I've seen your high school pictures, in fact, I've looked at them quite a lot." He moved to get up and kneeled before her. "You were never a freak," he kissed her and she smiled back at him. "A big nerd maybe, but never a freak."  
"You're really good at comforting me," she joked.  
"Any time," he laughed. "You want some more tea?"  
"No, I'm fine." she admitted and glance back at the fire.

It's coals beneath seemed calm, cool even as he rest burned around it in a sudden frantic. Each flame seemed like it was trying to get off on its own, but was being sucked back into a bigger flame that licked up the side of the log of wood, consuming it.

And then she was there, back in that stupid hallway at that stupid high school.

The memory of everyone staring, someone always laughing at her.

"Meloony Gordon, there she is." Was whispered as she passed someone.

She just wanted to get to Chemistry, but when she walked to Chemistry, Frankie always found her and pestered her about that stupid report.

This kid was so worried about this report being late. He didn't even know he was dead, and she didn't have the heart to break it to him. To tell him it was ten years overdue and he'd died.

But then those girls were there, laughing, pulling her back to the reality, to the group like she was a piece of that fire trying to escape.

Freak. What a freak.

"You okay?" Jim's soft voice pulled her back, warming her heart and making the tears get pushed back for a later time.  
"Yeah, sorry." She laughed. "I just drifted for a minute there."

She knew that if he looked close enough he could see how her eyes were all welled up with tears and he'd milk it out of her, but this time he didn't.

He just smiled at her, touched her cheek.

And that was good enough for her to smile back at him, to remember how he made her feel every day. How he made her feel loved and beautiful every day with just a look in his eyes and a soft touch of her face.

She wasn't a freak. She was special, to him.

"Alright, I'm gonna go up." he said and let his head linger on her shoulder as he stood up.  
"Okay, I'll be up in a minute." She whispered, wiping under her eyes and sighing.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

She thought about it as she walked up the stairs. Because this wasn't a relationship that she'd ever expected to have in her life. After a few very unsatisfying relationships sexually, she thought she had hit a jackpot just by finding someone who wasn't a total asshole

But finding someone who actually made her feel like this, who turned her on like a lightning bug, who made her feel both irresistible and who she found irresistible... she had no idea what she done to deserve that combo. It was like that odd song from the Sound of Music which she'd never fully understood, when Captain Von Trapp and Maria were singing about how they must've done something good in their past life to deserve this.

But maybe it wasn't about deserving things.

Maybe it was just about seeing opportunities and taking chances and it was just that life rewarded the brave.

She breathed in, remembering the sight of Jim by the fireplace.

The way he smiled at her, not just with his mouth, but with eyes and his words and his hands.

Yes, she wanted this. She want him, all of him. And the truly amazing part was that it didn't stop there. It stopped after she had had a mind shattering orgasm. It stopped after he made her feel like the queen of the world, or his heart... same thing, though, really. Jim's heart was her world.

He had been for over -years now.

She opened the door to the bedroom and Jim turned around, in the middle of undressing, surprised to see her upstairs so early. He was such a dizzying combination of boyish charm and heady masculinity. Melinda swallowed, watching as he finished peeling his shirt off, tossing it aside.

"You seemed upset, before I came up." He said, walking toward her, letting his hand pull her closer and rub the small of her back. "You okay?"

She looked up at him and shook her head.

"No," she whispered. "I'm not okay."  
"Come here," he pulled her closer, his bare skin against her face as he held her, his hands still lower than a usual hug. "I'm sorry for what they did to you. What can I do to make you feel better?" His hands drifted lower, pulling her hips closer. "Is this what you want? Do you want me to show you how much I want you every day? How they were wrong about you and that you're the most amazing person in the whole world?"  
"Jim," she whispered, feeling his erection press into her. "I want you..."

Fuck her, it was even better because it was flesh and blood, not marble. And he was, indeed, about to fuck her.

"And I want you, every day baby." He whispered, kissing her neck, then her cheek, then her lips, silencing every thought and bringing her back to him. "Every day Mel, believe that."

The sound of her name on his lips and the way he accentuated the last syllable with a hiss sent shock waves through her, awakening every part of her body. She never really had patience for foreplay, but today was different.

"I want you," she plead. "Now."  
"Here?" he asked playfully.

Her eyes flicked around the room until they landed on a chair at the vanity a few feet behind him. A sinful grin slowly spread across her face and she drew in her bottom lip with her teeth. She quickly nodded in response to his question as she flattened her hands against his chest and urged him backwards.

"Where exactly do you want me?" he asked again, this time his voice low and steady.

He raised a curious brow when his legs hit the seat of the chair behind him, but she made her intentions well known when she brush the tips of my fingers lightly over the bulge that's straining against the thin fabric of his boxers. He quickly relieved himself of his boxers with a swift tug at his waistband, freeing himself as it stood to attention before her against his rock hard stomach.

"This is what you do to me," he gasped.

She gave him another playful shove and he fell back into the chair.

He let out a laugh as he situated himself in the seat, but when she crossed her arms at her waist and lifted her shirt and bra over her head, she was sure it was the sight of her bare breasts pressed close together that caused his voice to suddenly catch in his throat.

"Like what you see?" She licked her lips as she watched his eyes widen as he took in my body.

When his tongue darted out to wet his lips, she fought the urge to run her hand down her stomach to where she so desperately wanted to feel his touch.

She slid her jeans off next, the fabric taking a bit of a shimmy at her hips before she slid them down easily.

"Come here," he begged.  
"No, no." she giggled as she pulled on the blue fabric of her panties and smiled at him. "Not yet."

She peeled them off and stood before him naked, smiling devilishly at him as she walked toward him. This wasn't about her anymore. It was about him. She wanted to feel the heat of him in her hands. She wanted to flood her senses with the scent of his skin, but above all, she wanted to taste every inch of him.

Their eyes locked into a heated stare and he flashed her that sexy lopsided grin as she lowered herself to her knees. The hardwood is cool against her shins, but it's a welcomed feeling from the heat that's already radiating off her body in anticipation. She didn't know who wanted this more: him or her.

"I want you—," she whispered, placing an open-mouthed kiss to the inside of this thigh, "—I want to taste you."  
"Fuck Mel," he inhaled sharply when she dragged her hand teasingly along his hardening length.

She leisurely licked her way up the underside, taking her time to savor every inch of him before slowly rounding the ridge of his head with her tongue. Not wanting to miss his reaction, she snuck a glance back up to his face. She watched as his eyes gradually fell shut and his head lolled back against the chair. He sucked in his bottom lip and when she gripped him firmly and took all of him into my mouth, he let out a shuddering moan and gripped her hair gently with his large hand, her eyes still peeking up at him.

"Your mouth feels…so amazing," he whispered between shallow, ragged breaths as his grip with his other hand on the side of the chair tensed. His encouraging words are the exact confidence boost she needed, so she increased her movements, taking him deeper until he was almost hitting the back of her throat.

He weaved his fingers deeper in her hair and tugged lightly at the strands as he moved in rhythm with her. The feel of his nails scrapping against her scalp was so unbelievably amazing that moaned with pleasure, surprised at how much it's turning her on.

She released him from her mouth for a brief second and pulled away to catch her breath, continuing to work him with her hand. She nipped at the inside of his thigh when she was ready to take him again, but before she could; he cupped my chin and gently lifted her face towards his.

"Come here," he helped her to her feet and she shifted her legs around his until she was sitting straddled in his lap. He pulled her closer and sighed into the hollow of her neck. "I need you," he whispered against her skin before tracing small, light circles along her collarbone with the tip of his tongue.

The sensation caused her eyes to screw shut and grab a hold of the back of the chair as her hips began to slowly rock back and forth against him.

He suddenly gripped my ass and lifted me until she was balancing on the tips of her toes and his cock brushed teasingly along the length of her entrance. Their eyes met, and she could see her own burning desire reflected back through his.

"I need to be in you," he groaned before their lips came together in a heated kiss.

He drew his fingers through her wet folds, spreading her arousal and dipping two fingers into her. He cursed under his breath as he twisted and curled his fingers forward and then slowly drug them out, sending shivers up her spine. She leaned into him and let out a frustrated groan, unable to take it any more of this sweet torture.

Her fingers curl into the back of the chair to brace myself as she aligned their hips and sunk down, reveling in the sensation as he stretched her, coaxing her walls to conform tightly around him. He took her off guard when he bucked into her the rest of the way and she almost lost her balance, the chair moving a bit as she gasped.

He tightened his grip around her waist to hold her in place.

"I've got you," he groaned as he quickened his pace and she desperately tried to keep up with his erratic rhythm. She steadied herself against the chair once more when he released his grip from her waist to paw at her chest, and can feel her breasts shake against his palms with each thrust.

The dim light that shined in through the window reflected off of Jim's body, illuminating his face. His eyes, heavily lidded, look down on her between kisses. His arms enveloped her, pull her closer, keep her safe. Her hands roam his body further. The taut muscles in his stomach tighten under her hand with the shuddering moans that pour from his lips.

His moans change with his movements. Slow advances coupled with breathy gasps change to audible groans and deep, plunging thrusts. Her name falls from his lips. She answered, murmuring his name against his neck, eliciting a longer, rumbling howl that vibrated through his chest.

The movements of his hips started to slow and she could tell he was almost there.

"I love you," he whispered. "Never forget that."

The way he filled her, pushing deeper with every movement of his hips made her feel delirious. She clawed at his skin, desperate for contact, wanting to pull him in further. Gripping the back of the chair as he pushed deeper, she was pushed over the edge. Her walls closed around Jim's length, forcing him to the brink with her.

"Ahh," she gasped, marking his neck as she pushed her face into his skin.

He throbbed inside of her, kissing her neck fervently while she held him there, never wanting to let go.

With a final thrust, he found his release and spilled into her. She slumped down onto his heaving chest. His heart beat rapidly against her ear and she could feel the vibrations as he laughed quietly into her hair.

"The bed next?" He asked.  
"The floor," she concluded. "Just wait, I need a second."


	38. The Cradle Will Rock

**A/N: The Cradle Will Rock is another favorite of mine... it took so long for me to get the perfect feel of this episode and how Wyatt (the robber) took Melinda' sense of comfort in her own skin. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda huddled on the floor, with her hands over her head. Her tears were silent, her shakes were quiet.

She could see the firehouse that was across the street. an ambulance parked outside and a few men running around like they were chicken with their heads cut off.

Did Jim know? Would he come as soon as he did?

Yes. He would. He'd break through walls to get here as soon as he knew.

Next she looked to see Delia out of the corner of her eye peek up to see if her ring was still there.

It was. The orange box sat a top of the counter before the man shoved it into his bag and smashed the window, glass shattering over them.

She hadn't got a good look at the guy. He had a mask and big heavy coat on. He had a rifle.

Something big. Loud.

Deep voice, alarming really. He was tall, dark eyes. Facial hair peeked from under his mask. He walked with a slight limp, hunched over like he had back problems.

The man stormed across the store, going to the next case.

Randy jumped up after taking a breath from his inhaler and ran after him, throwing the man off his game and into his next mission, the next case. The glass shattered and Melinda prayed Randy wouldn't be hurt, killed.

The man shoved Randy back and punched him. He pointed the gun at the ceiling and shot it off twice, blowing holes into the ceiling.

"Anyone else wanna be a hero?" He yelled, shooting the gun off again. "That's what I thought. Let's go." He grabbed Randy by his collar and pulled him to his feet, pushing him into the back room.

Delia shook as she cried, her hands over her face. She crawled over to Delia, looking at her best friend. Delia was crying, so shaken up.

"You okay?" She whispered, touching her best friend's hand and wiping her tears away.  
"Yeah," Delia whispered. "You?"

Before she could answer he was back. She nodded, not looking to see where she was going but wanting to reassure her friend that she was just fine.

She slowly crawled back to her spot, trying to be subtle, but ended up crawling back too far. The robber tripped over her foot and she grunted, mumbling something indiscreetly and he pointed the gun at her.

"Did I hear you say something?" He asked as she stared down the barrel of the rifle.

She couldn't breath, it felt as if someone was choking her. Her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for someone to save her. For Jim to come and get her, hold her, kiss her in all the right places and make her feel again. Make her feel everything good and safe.

But no one was there. A tear drop ran down her cheek. It seemed as if this was the end of the road for her.

"I told you not to look at me," he said and looked out the door. "Now, you all have a wonderful day."

Someone said something but she didn't even hear them. Delia had stood up and looked for her purse, grabbing it and sitting back down when she truly realized her ring had been taken.

"Melinda?" Delia said.

Melinda moved up from the floor, leaning against the base of the jewelry case.

Every sound around her was analyzed repeatedly until something else demanded her attention. The evening was cool, but her blood was icy and her muscles tense. She had lost any sense of how long she'd been there, each second was an eternity praying that Jim would just come through those glass doors.

The cops came first, asking Randy a few questions, making sure everyone was alright.

She recognized one of Jim's poker buddies.

Barry, was it?

"Melinda?" He came to her immediately, piking a piece of glass from her hair.  
"I'm okay," she said immediately, not wanting to answer questions.

Not now.

"Call Jim," he said as he reached to stop a colleague. "From the fire station. Call him now."  
"Thank you," she breathed.

* * *

She sat there while she waited for Jim to come.

Delia gave her statement beside her, gesturing toward little things that happened.

She looked at Delia as Jim walked in, the door not opening quick enough before he saw her.

"Mel," he breathed, his uniform was barely on and his hair barely brushed.

She remembered leaving him in bed that morning. The way she said goodbye was too short, but she had to meet Delia and he didn't have to work until two.

He ran to her and sat beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm here," he whispered.

Hugs could never be long enough for her. In her husband's arms she was safe and her worries disappeared like rain on summer earth. In that embrace she was cocooned better than any butterfly-to-be.

He pulled her closer to him wrapping his arms around her. His embrace was warm, and his big, strong arms protected every outside sound and person from ruining their time. The world around melted away as she squeezed him back, not wanting the moment to end.

She couldn't speak, nothing but cries came out as she tucked her face into his warm neck.

He had to help Randy too soon after arriving and she gave a small statement, trying to give Barry and the police anything she could to help them catch this guy.

When the words finally came, she looked at him and he was there.

Right there. Always right there.

"I'm really glad you're here," she muttered and he hugged her again.  
"This is crazy," he whispered and kissed the top of her head.  
"Do you want to come over for some dinner? Jim's gonna have to go back to work and I don't want to be alone right now." Melinda asked Delia, looking to her friend.  
"Mind if I bring Ned along?" Delia asked.  
"Not at all," she nodded and smiled at her friend.  
"I'll bring desert too," Delia said.

She tucked her head into Jim's chest again and finally breathe again.

His body was so familiar to her- the way it moves, the rough, wonderful smell of his cologne, even the sound of his heart beating she knew form the quiet moments in bed- but this time she needed it. She really felt it, lean and hard muscle against hers.

And that was just what she needed.

* * *

She sat in bed for hours after that dream, her heart never slowing more than a beat every millisecond.

Jim's truck pulled up, too early and she pushed up from the bed. Peeking from the window she watched him hop out and lock it.

He was home.

She ran to him, two stairs at the time and threw the door open. Not even caring that she was just in her damn nightgown.

"Mel," he said as he walked up the stairs.  
"I shouldn't have let you go," she whimpered.

Her heart broke as he just looked at him, he two knew that he should've just stayed home. But she told him to go.

Her head was slightly lowered, but her eyes were looking up at me, and she's breathing so hard that he could see her shoulders moving in rhythm with each breath she took.

Nightmare. He just knew that she'd been in bed waiting for him to walk through the door.

"Come here…" his voice was low, testing the waters to make sure that he picked up on her signals properly. He pointed his finger to a spot on the porch and when she noticed this, she finally lifted her head up completely and began to walk forward; the cold wood against her feet helping with her slight fever and sweat. She stopped at the spot his finger was pointed at.

This version of Melinda took a little getting used to. Never did he expect someone like Melinda to ever be in a mood to submit or listen to anybody, but this was where he didn't have images to uphold. She was scared, hurt, upset. And she needed him.

She was close enough now that he could touch her, and he didn't waste time. It's a simple touch, his pointer finger on the bottom of her chin, tilting her head up and sending a clear message. Her hands came up to grab his hair and she forced his mouth down to hers, letting him know without words that this is what she wanted.

He grasped her hips and picked her up, marching inside and kicking the door closed.

He placed a small kiss on her neck under her ear and continue down until he was at the curve of her neck and shoulder before moving back up to her ear.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked her.  
"Three hours…" she replied quickly, her voice cracking at the end of her sentence.

There was a heat between them that was all too familiar and unyielding.

He set her down and lifted her nightgown over her shoulder, dipping his hand into her panties and wasting no time before he was pushing two fingers into her and pulling them out just as quickly. She let out a small groan of protest when she realized that he'd already removed my fingers, but he silenced her with a deep kiss that made her grab my hair again.

He began to walk backward, pulling from the kiss and willing her to follow him and they went upstairs, her hand slowly making its way into his.

He led her into their room and closed the door.

"Sit down…" His words were short, but not forceful, and she sat right down on the bed and looked up at him.

He leaned over slightly, placing his hands at the hem of his shirt and ripping it over his head and unbuttoning his pants and pulling the zipper down, stopping so Melinda noticed that he wanted her to finish.

She reached up and hooked her fingers into the top of both his pants and boxers and gave a rough pull, taking both garments down in one move. She moved back up, dragging her hands over his thighs, stopping when she got to his hips. She slid off the bed and dropped to her knees on the floor before moving her right hand to his erection and took it in hand. She moved forward and lowered her mouth over him.

"That feels so good," he moaned.

She pulled back and swirled her tongue around the tip before putting her whole mouth back over him again. He could feel himself getting harder and harder in her mouth as she took him deeper.

He took a step back, knowing that if he didn't stop her now he wouldn't stop her at all. He grabbed her under the arms and helped her to her feet, then lifted her up just enough so that she knew where to go. She jumped up a little, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around my neck. He kissed her, walking forward, back toward the bed and when he ran into the edge of the bed, he dropped her down onto the top of it, covering her body with his own and resumed kissing her, opening his mouth to let their tongues taste each other.

Even these minimal actions have the sweat forming already and he could feel their bodies sticking where their skin touched. He broke the kiss and sat back on his knees, letting his eyes linger before moving back down to take a nipple into his mouth while his right hand came up and cupped the other. He moved back up to her ear once more while he moved his other hand down and began to rub her through her panties, the only piece of clothing either one of them had left and he whispered in her ear "Do you want me, Mel?" she nodded, but that isn't enough for him right now. "Then tell me. Tell me you want me."

"I want you, Jim." She choked out.

As she said this he moved down and pulled her panties off and spread her legs.

"Do you want my mouth on you?" He asked, moving down and stopping when his head was lingering between her legs. "Do you want my tongue inside you?"

These were things that used to be so hard for him to voice when they first were intimate. He always relied on unspoken communication until Melinda. He never talked to just anyone this way; only her.

"I want your tongue inside me." She spoke so low he could barely hear her.  
"Say it," he said, pushing his breathe over her.

She reached down and grabbed hold of his hair once again, shifting his head upward so that they were looking right at each other.

"I want your mouth on me, your tongue inside me, and I want you to make me scream." She told him.

That's all he needed to hear before his mouth was on her middle, gently sucking on the bundle of nerves at the top. She let out a loud moan now and he briefly wondered if she even realized or cared that both of the windows in here were wide open and certainly at least half of the neighborhood was going to hear her. Their neighbors have made comments to him before hinting that they'd heard them on more than one occasion, and now he can only wonder how many others have.

"Jim…" hearing her say his name only encouraged him to keep going.

He sped up his actions until the sounds of her breathing echo throughout the room and she finally reached the breaking point and she was moaning his name over and over again as she came. He was nowhere near done though. She said she wanted to scream. He removed his mouth from her and replaced it with my fingers this time, giving her no time to recuperate.

"Jim!" She gasped. "Oh... oh yes."

When he curled his fingers inside her a few times, he knew it wouldn't be long. Within minutes of her last orgasm, she was coming again, this time with double the intensity and she's moaning louder than he'd heard in a long time that he had to wonder if she did realize the windows were opened and if it was part of what has her so turned on.

He gave her a break after her second orgasm, moving back up to kiss her mouth. Both covered in a thin sheen of sweat now, and after hearing Melinda have back to back orgasms, his erection was painful. He deepened the kiss, trying to give her time to recover before he started again, but she broke the kiss and pulled his ear to her mouth.

"Fuck me, Jim." She growled, giving his earlobe a light bite before she pushed his head away and sat up on her elbows.

She scooted down, getting ready for him to move on top of her when he shook his head, grabbed her hips and fliped her over onto her stomach.

"Ooh," she purred. "We haven't been in this one in a long time."

He moved his hands under her stomach and lifted her up a bit as he position himself under her, then without another thought he lunged into her. His face pressed into her shoulder, kissing it as he moved in and out at a frantic pace, making him sweat even more.

"Come…" was all he could manage to say when he stopped thrusting and pulled out, hoping onto the bed. Melinda looked at me confused, not sure of what he was trying to tell her. He was sitting in the middle of the bed, legs curled directly underneath her. "Sit on me," he told her between breaths. "Come sit on my lap."

She climbed up and hovered over me, taking him in her hand and positioning herself just so as she lowered herself onto me then immediately threw her arms over his shoulders, resting her upper arms on them and bringing her hands together at the back of his head.

He pushed up into her and she matched his movement with as much force as she kissed him.

"Take tomorrow off," she gasped. "Please."

His hair was plastered to his head from sweat and his skin was burning from the heat between them, but he didn't stop.

"Yes," he groaned. "God, I will Melinda. Whatever you need."

He grabbed Melinda's hair and gave a gentle pull and she threw her head back, yelling his name and exposing her neck and he couldn't help but suck on it. She's calling his name again and a few thrusts later they came together in a hot and sweaty tangle of arms and legs.

"We should order pizza," she whispered as she looked down at him.  
"As long as we get half with only cheese," he grinned up at him.  
"Only because I love you," she laughed. "Because plain pizza is just insulting."

He loved these moments after sex. They're precious and different from conversations they had at any other time. He heard Melinda laugh as she stood up from the bed, taking the phone as she walked into the bathroom.

Normally he'd follow her, but today he felt good just waiting until she came back because the bottom line for them was all couples don't always make love. They get rough, they do it quick and dirty, they have kinks that you may never guess by looking at them and Jim and Melinda, no matter what they've been through, are no different.


	39. The Walk-In

**A/N: There's nothing from this season that I don't love, I swear haha. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda stood before this man, who was so faint she could barely see him, but from what she could tell he was in his late twenties. Strong nose and prominent chin. Darker hair and wore an army styled jacket and trousers.

Newly dead, for sure.

He was confused, his aura was grey and faint much like his projection was.

"I'm home Mel," Jim called and she spun around, almost dropping her silk robe s he went to kiss her cheek. "Oh, that's not the look I was hoping to see."  
"Yeah," she stuttered. "We had a—erm— we had a visitor, but he's gone now."

Her hair was tousled, from the sleep she'd awoken from as his truck pulled up and the ghost's energy came with it.

She looked around and then at Jim, who's handsome face was tired as he undressed.

"Well I hope I didn't bring him home with me," he muttered. "Didn't you say once that ghosts hate morgues?"  
"Yeah, they do. There's no energy for them there," she explained, looking back at the window where he stood in front of. "Seemed like a new spirit though, confused."  
"Let's hope so," he yawned as he pushed his work slacks off and crawled into bed, pulling off his watch and lying his head down on the pillow.

He looked so cute all tucked in.

"Want me to rub your shoulders?" She said rather excitedly, clicking her side lamp off.

Ever since their phone call she'd wanted to jump his bones.

He'd wanted a mental picture of her in the now to just keep him awake for when he'd come home. To her.

"No thanks," he sighed, closing his eyes.  
"Okay," she muttered, slipping the robe off and looking at him.

Warmth bubbled in her stomach as she ached for him.

God, she missed him. She wanted him so badly.

Her body ached for him to just touch her like he had this morning before she left for work.

The acceleration of her heart-rate had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with what her wanted. He was her drug. One look and the intoxication was instant. Just his scent could send her into a heady trance, one that sometimes didn't end until their bodies were one again, just warm and snuggled in as close as two souls can be.

She slipped the negligee off her shoulders and to her feet, baring herself to him as he tried to sleep, his eyes completely closed.

She hoped that when the bed didn't dip he'd notice, but he was so tired. She almost wanted to go to sleep for him, but she just couldn't and knew wouldn't want to either if he knew how badly she wanted him.

Her hips are where he hands ended up as she waited another moment and when he didn't noticed she smiled and climbed into bed, not wanting to mention the lack of what she was wearing as she snuggled in next to him, her arm around his waist.

"You have a goodnight sleep," she said as she pretended to rest beside him.  
"Thanks honey," he whispered, his hands going to rub up her forearm as it always does when they lay together in bed. It traveled up her arms slowly reaching a vary bare shoulder and the other met it to move over the expanse of her back. His eyes opened and it took him a moment before he realized what was up. "Are you not wearing what I think you're not wearing?"

She giggled as he closed the gap between their lips and she melted into him.

"I've wanted you since you called," she gasped.  
"This... this right here is what kept me awake on that drive down to central," he said pushing the blanket off of them and down to their feet.  
"I'm glad my naked body could be of service for your subconscious," she said as she kissed him. "Even with all my imperfections."  
"You don't get it, do you?" His mouth was so close to hers, his voice strained as he moved his hands slowly between her thighs. "You don't get the effect you have on me." She wanted to laugh at his words, but she couldn't manage to make sound beyond whimpering, as his fingers worked. "You are beautiful and sexy, and I can't get enough of you." He kissed the skin behind her ear, as she moaned appreciatively. "Every time I dream, it's of you. Every time I have a late shift I'm thinking of you, whether it's about making love to you, or the way you look up at me from all the way down there at five feet, two inches." She whimpered feeling her impending orgasm building quickly at his words. "I spent my whole adult life wanting you without knowing how much I needed you. Fuck, Mel you have no idea what you do to me."

And with that she came apart under the delicious ministrations of his fingers, calling out his name. Her body wracked with the intensity of her orgasm.

Before her post orgasm bliss has even begun to wane, she has pushed Jim onto his back and settled in between his legs, wanting desperately to show him that she felt the same way. Melinda pulled his boxers down to his knees and took him into her mouth.

"Fuck, Mel, fuck." He gasped.

She smiled, before taking him as deep as she could manage. He sucked in a sharp breath, resting his hand on the back of her head. Melinda made constant eye contact with Jim, knowing how much he enjoyed it, and is rewarded with a throaty moan that made her center ache with need again.

"Melinda!" he yelled as her tongue swirled around the tight skin of his erection. He said up, grabbing the sides of her face, and pulling her mouth off of him. When she looked up in confusion she could see the heady lust in his eyes, and she knew what he needed even before the request left his mouth. "I need you," he demanded.

She smiled at him before finding his mouth with hers, pushing him back down to the bed, letting her tongue tease his.

Melinda hovered above him, taking in the sight of him, her beautiful husband, the love of her life. Then she slid down onto him, moaning in relief at the feel of being filled by him. Her hips began to rock and they find a rhythm quickly, having done this so many times before; each time being distinctively perfect and unique as the last.

Never the same thing. Always something different the next time, something new to explore and nice to revisit.

As Jim hips became more erratic, he quickly pressed his thumb to her, rubbing and bucking until she comes apart once again, screaming his name into the night. Moments later, Jim thrusted up into her one last time with a groan before emptying himself into her. Melinda collapsed onto his chest, as they both tried to catch their breath.

"You know," he gasped, shifting onto his side, letting Melinda gently fall onto the mattress, landing so that they face each other. "Feeling you in that moment when you came to bed was the best surprise."

Melinda stared into her husband's eyes, and couldn't help her smile. This was her life, and it's perfect. She captured his mouth with hers, mumbling that she loved him against his lips, causing him to smile. Soon enough they are nestled back down under the blankets. Her head lied on his chest, her arm around his waist, one of his hands holding hers, while the other plays with her dark hair. Slowly, blissfully they began to fall asleep.

Her last thought being of Jim. She smiled.

Perfect.


	40. Children of Ghosts

**A/N: I want to write Jimel babies, but alas... too many seasons in between from where I am now lol. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda trudged up the stairs after a particularly long day.

Julie was safe. Happy.

That's all she wanted.

"How's Julie?" Jim asked, walking from the bathroom to meet her with an embrace.  
"Home with her family," she answered, tucking her head into the crook of his neck as they held each other close. "Happy again."  
"I'm so glad," he muttered, kissing her cheek.

Her hand grasped his neck and felt the drops of water there. He must've showered recently.

And now that she knew, she smelt him, the scent of fresh pine, his cologne. She would never not enjoy the scent of her husband, breathing it in was erotic.

"Me too," she pulled back, smiling up at him.  
"So what's going to happen to her?" He asked, following her as she walked forward.  
"The state released Julie into Heather's custody." She replied, heading toward her closet and shedding her jacket. "She has a brother and sister to get to know."  
"Huh, that's amazing Mel." He pulled off his sweatshirt and tossed it across the room to her vanity chair.

She looked at him and smiled, exchanging the heat of his gazes turned her on.

They'd been so busy with Julie these past few days, they hadn't even had time to be together for more than a moment.

"What?" She asked softly, her gaze meeting his more intimately.

A smile grew on his face as she looked at him like she always did.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "It's just that I'll miss her. It will be so weird to see that room empty." He started toward closet, peeking back at her.

"Well, maybe that room won't be empty forever." She entered her closet with a warm and heartfelt side glance to him and he paused to really look at her, somewhat surprised.

Did she really mean that? Was she finally ready?

"Hey, and you know what, we've always got Homer." She exclaimed and he realized what she meant. "Even though he won't come inside"  
"Man's dead best friend," he joked and shed his pants quickly, stepping out of them as she came out of the closet, smiling.  
"Well maybe he's just here to watch over us. A watch dog!" She giggled.  
"Yeah... if I was a burglar, I think I'd avoid the house with the invisible dog that can't bite me." He said crawling on the bed, reaching out for her, to pull her to him.  
"You know what, do you know if we have any of those meringue cookies left?" She itched the back of her neck and cocked her eyebrow.  
"Are you planning a midnight refrigerator raid?" He launched himself across the bed and chased her downstairs, only briefly touching her as they round the corner and down the stairs.

He caught her before she entered the kitchen and kissed her, pressing her into the doorway as his hands fell deep within her hair, caressing her face as he kissed her with everything he had.

"I still want some of those cookies, you know." She pulled back, gasping as he pressed his forehead to hers.  
"I think this is way better than those cookies," he gestured to the two of them, both knowing what the inevitable was.

They never made it past two days without being intimate, having sex, making love. Whatever it was called these days.

"Prove it," she challenged him and he licked his lips.  
"I will," he moaned and captured her neck with his lips, nibbling against her collarbone before traveling up the front of her neck and marking her just below her chin. "I always will."

He had her hips pinned to the wall, and despite using every ounce of strength she had to push back against the hands that held her in place, Melinda couldn't move. This tug of war sent a rush of hot liquid to her center. She moaned as he sucked at her neck, God, she wished he were a vampire right now.

Her need was so overwhelming, so all encompassing, she was completely unwilling to relinquish even the slightest amount of ground. He squeezed his hands tightly around her hips and quickly lifted her into his arms effortlessly and onto the kitchen counter.

He bare legs touched the cold surface with a gentle thud and a small exclamation of surprise. She'd forgotten she was wearing shorts. He met her eyes and held them for mere seconds before gathering both sides of her tank top and ripped it down the middle and off her body.

She hadn't been wearing a bra, and he grinned, his desire to nip at her nipples grew, but he controlled his urge with a deep breath and descended on her neck. He nipped, tasted, and kissed the skin and didn't fail to notice the goose bumps he left in her wake, smiling into her as he heard an airy moan escape from her swollen lips.

He knew what was next, his treat, her present for being so agreeable in an instance like this one.

Melinda closed her eyes, to focus on the incredible sensation of his lips on her breast. It wasn't the first time her nipple had found a home in the warmth of his mouth and it definitely would not be the last. He brought her to the point of incomprehension, every time.

"Jim," she moaned, arching her back instinctively against his mouth.  
"Mmmm?" He hummed, and she felt the vibration race through to the deepest part of her.

He kneaded her soft flesh, reveling in the thrill of holding her breasts, know exactly what would bring her the most pleasure. She grasped the edge of the counter and used the last vestiges of her dissolving strength to keep herself upright.

"Jim," she moaned loudly.

With that, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her as close to his body as he could. With him pressed that closely to the counter, it was easy for her to tightly wrap her left leg around the his waist. He smiled slyly and reached for the button on her shorts, baring her to him.

"You knew," he muttered, touching her, feeling her slick with wetness for him.  
"Of course I did. I rushed home after Julie was reacquainted with her mother because I've wanted you every second these past few days... and with Rick teasing you about my first time... of our first time. I kept picture it in my head day after day." She gasped. "It was a mighty good time honey."  
"I remember," he growled, leaning in again, kissing her chest, and taking each nipple into his hot mouth.

She threw her head back and gasped as her body slackened.

"I want you inside me," she gasped, wiggling her hips against his erection that was so prominent she cried out as he grazed her center.  
"Yes ma'am," he laughed and yanked her shorts down along with his boxers and pushed into her.

Her breathing was staggered and she moaned into the taut skin below his mouth as the muscle contractions wracked her body.

He was too good to her.

She grasped around his neck and moved against him, her body moving up with pleasure as he pushed into her, her legs flush and hot against him.

"I love you," he gasped, pushing into her relentlessly, nipping at her neck.

Another blissful sigh escaped her throat when his hand met her center.

"Oh, God, Jim," she purred as he thrusted in and out of her shallowly.

Apparently he'd never quite find a bad way to make love to her, because she was keening and writhing against her chest in a way not quite like anytime else. He heard every hitch of her breath, every sigh, every moan, all in complete clarity with his eyes clamped shut as they were. Her hand grabbed his thigh for a moment to coax him deeper, and she shouted as soon as the her hit the right spot inside her.

"There," she gasped. "Right there. Move only a little."

He did as she asked as she soon came against him in a shout, pulling him tighter against her as if that was possible.

He was right behind her, shooting his warmth inside her in a pleasing moan, biting her shoulder softly and grasping her back tight.

Her hair was tousled, and her neck had too many marks covering it, a smile adorned her face as she kissed him.

"Now, about those cookies... where are they?" She said suddenly, causing him to laugh.

She would always keep him on his toes. He just knew.


	41. Delia's First Ghost

**A/N: Jim with a pen in his mouth... and having more manly touch lol ughh yess to this episode ;) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

After a particularly boring shift, Jim was more than excited to get home, to take a nice hot shower and maybe watch the rest or the basketball game he'd caught a little at the station.

He most definitely did not want to go out for drinks, even if he was friends with Flaherty.

Tim met him near the doors as he walked out, bag over his shoulder and truck keys in hand.

"We're going out right?" Tim asked as they started to cross the street.  
"No way, Flaherty." Jim said flatly. "I have plans with my bed and the remote."  
"Come on Clancy. Man, don't be a buzzkill." Tim said excitedly. "When was the last time we went out after work?"  
"Last Thursday, and I recall having to call Melinda to pick me up because I was so plastered after going out." He explained. "Do you remember that?"  
"Still, I got you laid didn't I?" Tim laughed.  
"Besides the point," he cleared his throat. "I could've even if I didn't go out with you. I don't need to call in favors to get some."  
"Didn't you say Melinda wasn't home?" Tim asked.  
"She's babysitting," he replied.  
"So then let's go out!" Tim said.  
"No," he replied and then saw Delia.

Shit if Tim saw her, then he'd have to take him out.

"Hey- is that- that's Delia!" Time exclaimed, stopping near the sidewalk and looking over at her. "Is she on a date? Is that why Melinda isn't home? Is she watching Ned?"  
"Well-" He was about to reply, but Tim continued speaking.  
"Please don't tell me that's a date." Tim muttered. "It is! Man, I thought we were good. I apologized. I went to great lengths Clancy!"  
"That coffee stunt was sweet, Flaher." He replied.  
"Right. She loved it." Tim explained. "I took her out to dinner. We had a great time, so why is she..." Tim turned to look at him and he tried to wipe and facial expression off his face. "You knew, didn't you? And you didn't tell me?"  
"Is it my job to tell you?" He asked. "She can go out on a date with whomever she wants. You hurt her feeling Flaherty."  
"Oh, what are you, part girl now? Is that it? Okay. Fine. Game on." Tim said as they watched Delia leave with her date from Lento's. "Here's the deal. I need an edge. Alright? I need you to ask Melinda what kind of stuff Delia likes."  
"You don't need to jump through hoops for Delia. She likes you." He said simply.  
"Oh? Oh, yeah? Then why is she on a date with pretty boy?" Tim asked.

They stood there in for a moment before he clapped Tim on the back.

"Come on. First round is on me," he said walking toward his truck.

* * *

"… And that's when Delia told me she 'wants her space' and that she'll call me." Tim said, doing his best attempt at quotation marks in his inebriated state, hitting a stripe ball into the pocket.  
"Ugh, I ha—ate that for you Flaher," Jim slurred and finished his fourth Jack and Coke. "If you don't want to date someone, just fucking say it, right? Needing your space is such a lame excuse. But she seemed to really like you Flaher... Melinda, she you know was a hard ass at first."  
"Was she? Or are you trying to make me feel better?" Tim asked as Jim set up his shot and took it, hitting a ball in the pocket and missing on purpose next.

He stumbled back to his seat and wait for his next turn, his mind thinking back on anything that had Melinda.

Melinda... oh his wife was a force of nature. Beautiful. Perfect. Empathetic.

He loved her too much, some say.

"She was," he laughed. "She had this thing that she didn't think i could handle."

He cut himself off before he said to much and waved for the bartender.

"You're cut off, you know." The bartender said.  
"Yeah, just a glass of water." Jim raised his voice a bit over the tvs of the sport bar.  
"That I can do." The bartender said with a nod.  
"What does Melinda have that could turn you off from how smoking hot she is?" Tim chuckled, shooting the eight ball in.  
"Hey, that's my wife." He muttered, taking the water as the bartender brought it to him. "But it's something that you don't need to know."  
"I bet I can get it out of her," Tim said setting his stick down.

Jim just chuckled and shook his head, taking a drink of the water slowly, relishing in its coldness.

* * *

Melinda sat on the couch, laptop open and fingers typing away as she searched for who might be the little problem in the basement.

Tonight's fright night had indeed been frightening and now in the way she wanted it to be. She wanted it to be a fleeting scare, something that wouldn't affect her sleep tonight. This ghost? It would affect everything until she crossed him over.

Delia entered, she closed her laptop, meeting her friends gaze.

"Oh? Dare I even ask?" She said, moving her laptop to the coffee table as she stood up.  
"Oh, you know, I just don't remember dating being this hard when I was younger." Delia said as she threw her keys on the table, pulling her coat off to reveal the wine stained dress.  
"Oh my," she muttered.  
"Yeah. I wouldn't even know where to start." Delia said, showing the tire oil stain as well. "Frankly, I haven't had a date go well yet. That's alright because at least I'm getting out there." Delia paused as she hung her coat and looked at Charlie's picture, her finger going out to touch it briefly and smile before turning back toward her friend who didn't quite know what to say. "You know, Charlie and I, we never even dated."  
"How did you manage that?" She asked, grabbing her laptop and putting it in its proper bag and grabbing her keys from the side table.  
"I was friends with his business partner, so we just sort of started hanging out." Delia explained. "Anyway, how was your night? Did you get the crap scared out of you?"  
"Oh! Sure did. Scary, scary." She laughed. "Anyway, Jim is, uh, on his way home so I've gotta go. Tim did see you guys at Lento's, by the way."  
"Was he upset about it?" Delia asked, walking toward her friend.  
"When Jim called, he sounded pretty drunk and said he had to let him win at pool all night just to sort of ease the pain." She explained.  
"Is it awful of me that, that makes my night?" Delia asked.  
"No. I'd be worried if it didn't," she said, reaching down to grab something. "But I think you care for him more than you'd like to admit because I found these in one our magazines." She gestured tot he photo strip she had in her hand and giggled.  
"Yes! I like him." Delia said snatching it from her as she walked past her. "I'm just not ready to narrow the playing field yet."

She noticed the ghost appear foggy in the background and she glanced at him for a moment before he disappeared and smiled at her friend.

"Well you have a good rest of your night." She smiled and collected her jacket.  
"I will," Delia smiled. "You give Jim all the love for letting Tim win at pool."  
"Oh I will," she laughed. "And I'll tell you all about it in the morning."  
"Can't wait," Delia winked.

* * *

Melinda was home before him, kicking her boots off and shrugging her jacket off as Tim and Jim stumbled in.

"Oh!" She gasped, clutching at her chest. "You scared the hell out of me..."  
"Sorry," Jim muttered. "I couldn't find his keys to his apartment. I think he dropped them in my truck and I'm just gonna put him on the couch."

She nodded and went to kiss him, tasting a bit of Jack Daniels on his lips and heading toward the stairs.

"I'm going to take a shower," she yawned and went to pull up her turtleneck, almost forgetting about Tim and then pull it all the way down again.  
"I'll be right up," he cleared his throat and brought Tim over to the couch, plopping him down and throwing a blanket over him. "You stay here."  
"Where you goin?" Tim muttered.  
"None of your business," he said and practically leaped over the couch, pulling his boots off and locking the door before sprinting up the stairs as the shower trickled on.

He caught the sight of Melinda changing, the swoosh of the turtleneck as it hit the floor and she stepped up and into the shower.

"Did you have fun?" She called out to him, peeking from the curtain.  
"Are you mad?" He stumbled toward the bathroom, almost hitting the doorway but making it through.

He could tell she was genuinely upset about the whole idea, that he'd gotten drunk again, but she just shrugged.

"You don't do it often enough for me to be mad," she said, turning around to let the warm water trickle over her head completely.

He pulled his shirt over his head and slid his jeans off, followed by his boxers before almost stepping inside.

His socks.

"Don't forget your socks," she said after he realized it, pulling them off.

She knew him too well, but then again he knew her just as much.

He stepped inside, looking down at her as she wiped the water off of her face and smoothed her hair back.

"What?" She asked.

His sly smile came out and he pounced on her. Any other girl would be pinned down, but Melinda Gordon wasn't just some girl — she always gave him a run for his money.

She let him pick her up, kiss every worry about this damn ghost away.

Mind fuzzy from the drinks and just so happy in the moment, he pulled back from their kiss and gave her a peck on the neck. And with just a moment's pause, a long kiss on her neck. And when she doesn't protest, but moaned and grasped his hair, his mouth stayed there because her skin tasted so sweet and her hair smelt so good.

Thoughts still hazy, his mouth was roaming now as he lavished attention on that space just under her ear. He swore he heard another moan come from her throat, but— "Jim, stop." made him hesitate, pull back and look at her. "I don't want shower sex," she gasped, looking at him with warm cheeks.

He nodded, going to set her down and turn off the water.

The cold air seeped in from the gap in the curtain and her nipples pebbled as she looked up at him, waiting for him to step out. He almost reached out, to touch one, both, but didn't. He'd do that in bed.

He stepped out next, grabbing a towel and handing it to her, helping her out and kissing her on the cheek before going to get a towel from himself. They dried off and she grabbed his hand, pulling him to the bed.

* * *

Her hips pressed into Jim's. He made this love noise in his throat and she pulled him to her, kissing him, feeling for the first time that night how hard he was, pressed up against the inside of her thigh. Desire curled up inside her, the intensity so startling that she gasped, arching into him.

"You feel amazing," he told her, brushing his thumb over her nipple, which was incredibly sensitive, water still dripped down, onto her taunt stomach as she laid there. "So warm... I missed you today." She couldn't stop the moan that escaped her throat. "Oh God, I love it when you do that." He squeezed her breast gently, rubbing his fingers over her nipple in little circles.

He bent his head down and lapped around her nipple in a slow, hot circle, his hand came up to palm her other breast in the same, teasingly slow motion. He kissed the spot between her breasts, over her heart, then looked up at her.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing just above this. "I love you." He kissed her throat, and then her chin. "I love you." He kissed her cheek and then her nose. "I love you." He reached her mouth and kissed her dearly, letting himself go for a moment before returning to her breast again.  
"Why the sudden admiration of love? Did something happen?" She gasped, the heat between her thighs grew and she gasped. "Jim... oh god."  
"I'm just," he lapped around her nipple again. "So glad to have such comfort with you, to not have to worry as much that I might lose you to someone else."  
"Never," she whispered, pulling on his hair so he'd look at her. "Never. I love you."  
"And I love you, Melinda Gordon." He said so simply that he heart burst right there and she kissed him again.

He entered her very slowly, not breaking one movement from their kiss. He paused, their kiss breaking as he slid completely into her, a groan slipping from his mouth as he kissed her chin. She could feel his heartbeat grow against her, the usual steady rhythm, rapid and hard against his chest.

He gathered himself, and pushed further into her.

She kissed his neck, his chin, ran her hands through his hair and down his back and over his stomach. He slides in and out of her in a steady rhythm. There was a desperate anticipation as he slipped out, the delicious burn as he pushed back in. She tilted her hips up, drew in a sharp breath. It felt as though he went even deeper, if that's possible.

His thrusts grew faster, shallower, his mouth captured her breast into his mouth and she gasped, louder than she had a moment ago and yelled his name.

"I'm gonna come," he choked out, groaning into her mouth as he came, pulling her with him.

They tangled together like the hot mess they were, a ultimate motion of kisses and shouts before silence came over them.

It was a long while before either of them spoke just the occasional look and kiss came between them.

"I forgot Tim was downstairs," she gasped and covered her eyes. "I feel so bad."

He chuckled.

"He's long asleep by now," he pressed a kiss to her cheek as he gently pulled out of her, rolling onto the bed beside her. Their hands found each other in the space between them, tangling together. "At least I hope."  
"Me too," she giggled, finding a space next to him, pressing her face into his chest. "I love you."  
"I love you too," he whispered, kissing her once more.


	42. The Collector (Part One)

**A/N: Well, I'll always come in to help out Mariah :) She was stuck on this episode (2x20: The Collector) so I managed a little tag for her…~Meowser Clancy**

* * *

He hadn't seen much of Melinda lately. Not outside of getting into bed with her, seeing that she was beyond fast asleep and only curling an arm around her, letting them rest.

He'd been busy. Working nights. Getting home at ungodly hours.

They were on the opposite schedule and he knew she was trying; there were some nights he'd find her in a lacy nightgown that tempted both his imagination and his body. But she was always so tired when he got home. And he didn't have the heart to wake her up, when she slept so soundly.

He was at the station, mid yawn, and looked up to see her, and his heart stopped momentarily.

That dress. Holy shit.

He stood up immediately and she noticed him, coming straight towards him.

He realized as she reached him that this wasn't the kind of visit he'd thought. She looked freaked out, confused and worried.

He took hold of her arms as she walked into his, holding his wife tight, feeling her softness press into him.

She was burying her face in his chest. "He could see ghosts too," she whispered. "He could see ghosts, Jim. I met someone else who's my age. Who's chosen to do the same job I do." She raised shocked eyes to meet his. "What happens now?"

Truth was, Jim wasn't sure. He had no idea who she was talking about or where she could have met him. And he, Jim, knew that if he was a ghost whisperer who'd lived a lifetime, like Melinda, without meeting someone like him then if he met someone like, well, Melinda…

Jim was immediately on edge, right along with his wife. It was his problem now too, and he pulled her closer. "I don't know," he said softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "But tell me about it. Talk about it, Mel."

"Delia's friend died," Melinda mumbled. "Client, whatever. I don't even remember. But we were at the funeral, Jim. We were at the funeral home and he was at another funeral; he was talking down the dead guy." She breathed out, finally letting go of some of the tension.

"Look at me, Mel," he whispered, but she was distracted, biting her lip. "Mel."

She raised her eyes to meet his again. "Oh, Jim." Her lip was trembling, and she was stiff in his arms.

"Come with me," he sighed, putting an arm around her, leading her from the station and into the sunshine. "Let's just not think about it, just for a minute. Have you had lunch yet?"

"No," she sighed.

"Can I buy you lunch?" He wondered aloud. "Why does it take a crisis for me to be able to take you to lunch again?"

She almost laughed, a startled sound, and looked up at him, a reluctant smile on her face. "Sorry. It has been crazy, hasn't it?"

"It's always crazy," Jim said readily, hands shoved in his pockets now that Melinda was walking on her own without faltering. "Usually that doesn't mean we stop seeing each other, though."

Melinda sighed, pressing a hand to her low back. "God, I've missed your hands," she sighed. "I need a massage, I haven't been sleeping well. And since Bobby is on vacation, you've been at the station almost 24/7."

"It is a lot of overtime," Jim said. "But it's a lot of money to."

She nodded, moving closer to him, resting a head on his shoulder. "Sometimes you call and tell me you'll be late. And I get it. I always get it. We both do things that keep us away from home too much." She looked up at him, licking her lips. "Sometimes, though, I want to say fuck the station." She breathed out. "I know, that's what you always want to say about the ghosts. But sometimes, what follows fuck the station is...fuck me."

He blinked down at her, his mouth drying.

"Don't fuck the station, Jim Clancy. Fuck me," Melinda begged. "And then you can come home at dinnertime and we can have a normal, sane conversation about this, but for right now, I just don't want to think about it."

"My car is back here," Jim managed.

They almost ran behind the station; the alleyway was empty, as usual. No one came back here. No one except for a horny Jim and Melinda, every blue moon when everything was too much.

"Come here," Jim murmured, opening the door to his pickup and admiring the swell of her ass as she climbed up into the cab; the hike of her dress and how her calf flexed.

He placed his hands on her hips, and got in behind her, and sat in the driver's seat, pulling the lever to tip them back and Melinda was climbing on top of him, her lips seeking his out, pressing to his.

God. She tasted so good. She always did. Her body was warm and soft atop his; the weight he readily welcomed.

Her legs were splayed, and she was astride him, finally pressing her core to his groin, making him moan to feel her against him.

He wanted her, so badly.

He couldn't imagine this moment ending.

Her lips were hungry, and she was kissing all over his face, pressing hot lips to his cheekbones, his forehead, near his eyes, down to his neck, and back to his lips.

His hands were on her ass, cupping her, pulling her closer.

And she was only responding more, running her hands over him, tugging at the buttons on his stiff paramedic shirt until they were undone, until his white t shirt was visible, and his hands were moving up to her breasts, shown off by this...this dress of Melinda's; her assets were almost tumbling out and he cupped them together, pushing them up, holding tight, knowing they were short on time and not bothering to remove the dress; he popped one breast free and moaned, tasting one hot nipple, sucking hard.

She moaned, shifting on top of him, her hands going to his belt buckle, and he reluctantly dropped her breasts, moving to her hips, sliding underneath to silky thighs; to lacy underwear that he slid aside, inserting one finger into her hot depths.

Yes.

"We don't have much time," she murmured. "Come on, baby."

He almost came, hearing her say those words, hearing her urging him on, and he undid his belt, shoved his pants down just enough, and she was sliding him free.

"Let me be inside you," he breathed, as she toyed with him, her fingers smooth.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled at him. "I love you so much, you know." She whispered.

"I love you too," he said, and she nodded, tossing her hair to one side, and he leaned up, kissing her again, sucking at her lips.

Arching her back, she lowered herself onto his chest, carefully easing her panties off, and Jim moved her skirt up, letting her hair shower around them; he reached up and tangled one hand in it for a moment, their lips again meeting.

And then he entered her, and she was ready, arching towards him, and his hands were on her hips, only one thought in mind.

Climaxing. But making sure Mel came first.

He moved slowly, though his body ached to go quickly, to take what he knew could be his.

But he wouldn't. He slid his fingers inside her, between them, finding her core, making her pleasure peak. This was her moment too, this was the moment he'd make her forget.

He was so close, but she wasn't close enough; he withdrew his fingers, forcing his hips to pause for a moment, letting her control the motions, letting her rock up and down on him. His hands roamed her body, teasing her nipples, looking up at her until their eyes met. "Mel," he breathed. "You are so beautiful. I'm so close, just looking at you, just feeling the way your body greets mine." He was being so mushy, but it was true, and he wanted her to know it; too often, they didn't speak while making love, especially not while in a rush like this. "And I know we'll figure this out."

He pulled her down to him, their lips meeting; tender and slow. His hips began to move again, and she was shifting, finding her spot, and she came, melting over him, and he let himself go, slamming into her, and then it was done. He found his place in sky came as her face fell into his chest, gasping. She tumbled into the seat next to him, both breathing hard.

"You're always perfect," she whispered, but he could see the clouds already returning to her eyes, the eyes that had been so starry and glossy with pleasure just moments ago. "So perfect Jim. I love you."

They straightened their clothes, and Jim caught hold of her hand as she was beginning to climb out of the truck.

"Mel," he urged. "It'll be okay. We'll figure this out."

She breathed out, and turned back to kiss him, holding his face in her hand, keeping them together for one more moment. It would be too many hours ran before they had another moment together, like this. So private and full. Their souls truly seeing each other for who they are.

"Melinda, I adore you," he breathed.

She smiled, a little tightly, but it was a smile.

And then she was gone, and Jim fell back to earth. Back to life. He had work to do.

* * *

 **A/N: this chapter would've probably never came out of it weren't for my spam here... writer's block sucks. I only edited a small part xx Mariah :)**


	43. The Prophet (Part Two)

**A/N: If you haven't seen the scene where Melinda is in this dress... you've been missing out. Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda strolled past the fire station just slow enough for Jim to see a glimpse of his wife and turn his head.

"Did you see that ass on that woman who just walked by? Hello mama!" A rookie whistled as he sprayed the fire truck with water.

"That's my wife," Jim muttered and walked outside, peeking around to see her continue walking.

He hadn't seen what she'd worn this morning before she left for work when he came home from his graveyard shift. She had asked him to zip it up and surprisingly, he was able to without much of a glance at the dress itself.

From what he could tell, her hair flowed over her shoulders as usual, covering the straps of the black dress that clung to each beautiful curve. The top half was made entirely of black leather that ended at her hips. The skirt was a fitted leather material that flowed down to her knees and swayed with each step she took..

He'd just gotten back to work, he couldn't afford to chase her down. Well, maybe he could.

"Sorry," The rookie muttered. "But you've gotta at least know your wife is a looker." He said as he swung out of the driver's seat with binoculars. "Every man has got to turn his head when she walks by."

"Hey!" He said swiping them from his hands. "I know, but whether or not you look doesn't matter. It's the words that come out of your mouth afterward."

He watched as she pulled out her phone and put it to her ear, his phone ringing immediately.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Like my dress?" She laughed, turning to look at him from across the square.

"I do, very much." He grinned, leaning against the fire station.

"Meet me at the house for your dinner break at five." She smiled and hung up, walking across the street to the store once she saw that Professor Payne was there.

* * *

The blindfold slid around her eyes and she could feel his fingers moving against the back of her skull, tying it tight enough so that she couldn't see, but not so tight that it hurt.

His lips brushed against the shell of her ear as he leaned forward, his bare chest pressing against her back. "You looked so good today," he hummed. "I'm so glad I could get Tim to cover for me for a bit."

Melinda nodded, shivers dancing down her spine with each soft puff of air that escaped his lips. He undressed her slowly, peeling each article of clothing off with careful precision. Dress, bra and panties, they all disappeared from her body steadily until she stood naked except for the blindfold. She moaned softly as his hands palmed her bare breasts, flicking his thumbs against the turgid nipples.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he breathed against her nape, teasing the hairs that had escaped her ponytail. "All mine." His hands slid slowly down her arms, over her breasts, his fingers tracing out her pebbled nipples before lifting her into his arms and placing her on the bed.

Her senses were magnified by the lack of sight. She could hear everything with a clarity that usually she only felt when she was out in the woods with just her bow. He was moving around the room, taking off his clothes. She heard the heavy tread of his feet against the hardwood floor and the muffled whisper of his pants sliding down his legs.

He moved on top of her and she melted into him as he kissed her.

"You know, all the guys were talking about you when you walked by." He muttered.

A silky heat pooled between her thighs at the tone of his voice. It throbbed and pulsed in time with the heat building in her core.

His fingers moved slowly along her collarbone and down the flat expanse of her stomach. It danced over her hip and slid along the crease of her ass. Goosebumps erupted in his wake and she could feel his hot breath on her skin, ghosting along with.

Another finger trailed over her lips, dragging down her lower one before pushing into her mouth. Her lips closed around it and she began to suck, flicking her tongue against the tip. She heard him groan and sucked harder, squirming when the tension in her center coiled tighter. He slid his hand up her arm, guiding her hand down to his erection. She stroked and squeezed along the length.

"I love you." The words were soft and forceful, his voice low and deep and she could feel it all the way down to her toes as she felt him move around her, her breath coming in short, panting gasps.

He was finally going to do it, finally touch her like she'd been dying for him to do since they started this game. He stopped bare millimeters from her, her breasts brushing up against his chest, the coarse hairs covering that large expanse of muscled perfection stimulating her nipples and teasing them even more firmly erect. She could feel his breath on her face and it was doing dastardly deeds to her pulse and then she couldn't think anymore as they gently connected - his mouth opening slightly over hers.

The feel of his tongue sliding out and licking her lower lip nearly sent her to the moon. His strong arm wound around her waist, pulling her tightly against his warm, hard body and she moaned softly as her hips brushed up against his, the feel of his cock, hard and aroused against the apex of her thighs making it hard to think, let alone breathe as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into her parted lips with ease, making gentle swipes against hers before retreating, teasing her into doing the same.

His hand slid between her thighs. A long, thick finger brushed against the hood of her center and she gasped, her fingers scrabbling reflexively against his back.

"Easy," he murmured, slipping a finger into the tight, wet sheath of her, feeling her contract tightly around him, slick wetness coating his finger as he drew it out slowly. He teased her with his thumb, dipping his finger again and again into her, curling it just slightly on every stroke.

Her head dropped back to rest on his pillow as his other hand slid up her chest, cupping her aching breasts, fingers plucking against turgid nipples. She squirmed again as a wash of heat raced through her, fire licking along her veins from the pulsating heat building between her thighs. A soft moan escaped her parted lips and he nearly melted into her.

Warm, wet need built between her thighs as he licked and sucked at the soft skin of her neck, teeth scraping against her leaping pulse. His hand palmed her thigh, pulling it up and opening her legs just slightly. He positioned himself at her entrance.

"Wrap your legs around my waist," he growled, thrusting forward and filling her with a thick, hard thrust.

"Oh!" she cried, legs locking tightly around him, his hands guiding her into a rhythm that forced the ridge of him against her with every down stroke. "Jim!"

Hard and fast he fucked her, pushing her deeper into their bed. His mouth was on her skin, leaving biting, nipping kisses at the junction of her neck and shoulders and the pleasure/pain rocketed through her, forcing her quickly to the edge of bliss.

He moved his hands to the blindfold and pushed it up to her eyebrows, looking into her lust filled eyes as he moved to kiss her, his hands cupping bother of her cheeks as he moved inside her, pushing deeper and deeper with each movement.

His strokes lost finesse and he came groaning her name into her shoulder. Melinda wrapped her arms tightly around him as he finished. Leaning her cheek on his shoulder, he lifted his head and grinned at her, pressing a sloppy kiss to her lips.

"I love you," she beamed at him, her eyes focusing in on everything about him as she met his eyes.

He could never resist looking into those eyes of hers. They could always milk his thoughts, get him to lost his train of thought.

"Promise me this May 11th thing won't hurt you," he replied.

"I can't promise anything," she sighed.

"Promise me you'll tell me everything." He told her.

"Everything," she nodded, kissing him. "You should get back to work."

"I have a few more minutes I can waste," he smiled into her skin.

* * *

Another hour passed before they made it downstairs and Melinda still beat him down there.

They'd showered together, their mistake to even think about watching watch drip down each other and think they would make it through quickly.

She held up curtains to the double doors that led to the backyard, examining them and showing them to Jim.

"What do you think?" She said, peering over her shoulder at him.

He rose his hands to head head, itching his scalp as he pondered.

"Too girly," he muttered.

"Shush." She called back to him. "What do you want, football helmets on the curtains?"

"I don't want curtains at all," he huffed. "Why do you want to cover the windows?"

"I don't want to cover them, I want to enhance them." She replied, switching it out for another trimming.

He sighed, leaning on the table. "This house has had enough enhancements. When do we say finished?" He asked.

She turned back around and smiled at him. "Ahhh... never," she laughed.

"Why do I feel like never and home improvements go hand-in-hand, forever?" He groaned.

"You know what? You are very impatient." She explained to him softly. "Ok, it takes a while to make a house a home."

"It took a while to make this house a house," he replied.

"Aren't you late to go back to work?" She eyed him, leaning on the kitchen table.

"Fine," he muttered, turning around to go grab his medic bag. "You know what my theory is?"

"That window treatments destroy marriages?" She huffed.

"Well, yeah, that's one of my theories, but-" He paused, turning around to look at her again. There was a moment when she was just standing there, looking back him when he knew exactly what was going on. He knew that stance, the way her eyes looked at him, the worry engraved on her face. This wasn't good. Not for her. Not for him. And especially not for them. "You're nervous and you're distracted by something, and that's why our home is getting another makeover."

"Hmm.. I was hoping to appear industrious." She turned and marched into the kitchen.

"Well," he moved to the foyer and then the kitchen. "You hoped wrong Mel. I care about you. What's going on?"

"I just keep getting weird visions," she opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "And there's this strange ghost."

"Strange ghost, huh?" He asked.

"She keeps showing me things and I don't know why." She replied, walking toward him, leaning her head back to look up at him. "It's like she's sad and in mourning."

"Well, you think she's trying to warn you about something, don't you?" He said.

"I don't usually get stuff about the future." She answered.

"You did last year," he replied softly, almost regretting that he said it the moment it came out of his mouth. "That hunch turned out to be right."

Her eyes drifted from him and she sighed.

"I just know that I won't rest easy until I figure this out. And I will." She replied with a happy smile at him.

"And until then, we get new curtains?" He muttered.

"Exactly!" She cheered and kissed him. "Have a good night at work. Call me a million times?"

"Always," he smiled at her. "I'll be home around two. I'll try to not wake you up."

"Please do," she touched his shoulder. "I love knowing you're home. It relaxes me."

He nodded and kissed her head before they parted ways.


	44. The Gathering (Part Three)

**A/N: Season two finale is here... Enjoy ;) xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda watched as the group of spirits came closer, disappearing into the air and hitting the memorial with a lightning strike.

She watched the poles sway back and forth, shaking uncontrollably, and she knew what was going to happen. They were meant to fall, to crush these children. Innocent children. How could anyone do such a thing? How could Gabriel do that?

She wasn't going to let it happen. Before she could think rationally, she took off, hearing Payne scream for her as she darted off to save those kids.

"No!" She screamed and parted the crowd to get to them.

They were frozen in fear, screaming as the poles descended toward them. There was nothing that would stand in between her and saving those kids from whatever Gabriel had planned for them.

She was there, saving each of them, her hands guiding them out of the way just as the memorial came down. She ducked and fell over, along with kids who were out of harms way, but her head hit something hard and she laid on the ground, looking up at the stormy clouds before everything went dark.

She woke up moment later, sitting up and crawling towards Kirsten.

"I'm sorry," Kirsten muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," she whispered. "It's okay sweetie. You're safe."

But she just kept repeating that she was sorry. It was so strange. What could she possibly be sorry about?

"I'm sorry," Kirsten whispered. "This is what I saw..."

"What? What did you see?" She asked, turning around to them see herself lying in the same place by the rocks.

She stood, every emotion rose to the surface and she felt empty. Helpless. There she was, lying by the rocks, lifeless. Was this Gabriel's plan all along? To take her away so the spirits truly had no one but him. She looked around and could see that Jim was moving people off the field.

"Everyone, just keep moving," he said softly. "Everything is going to be okay. Once you are all off the field we will see what happened."

He continued move with the pack before he saw her. Melinda. His wife, lying on the ground, unconscious.

"Mel?" He yelled, but when she didn't move, he bolted. "Mel!"

Little did he know, he passed right through her. She stood there, watching her husband touch her but could barely feel it. He leaned his head down to her chest and he couldn't hear anything. Panic set in. No. No. She couldn't be dead. She was supposed to die of old age, with Jim, after having a family and a full life. Not here. Not now. Not because of Gabriel.

"Give me a B.V.F and an airway! Now!" He screamed. "You're gonna be okay." He touched her wrist and could feel a pulse, very faint, but she as still there. She was still with him, in a way. "You'll be okay."

She found Gabriel who watch the scene play out, a smile on his face as he held up his hand.

"The fifth sign," she cried. "Death of a loved one."

* * *

Melinda felt cold and disoriented, but with as much movement as she could manage, she began to inspect her surroundings. She was in the back of an ambulance, a bright light above her and Jim holding her hand beside her. Bobby on the other side, checking her BP and heart rate.

"She's coming to," Bobby said softly.

"Melinda," Jim said, kissing her hand. "I'm here."

"The kids," she whispered.

"Safe and sound," he reassured her. "All because of you."

"You're a hero, you know." Bobby winked and then pulled out his flashlight. "Follow the light." She tried her best, her eyes moving slowly with it. "Do you know what day it is, Melinda?"

Moving her attention back to him she replied quietly, "Friday."

Bobby nodded and started moving the flashlight again, inspecting both her eyes. "And where do you live?"

"Umm…180 Hazen street with Jim… Grandview, New York." She muttered, her eyes going back to Jim.

"Good, you're doing well," Bobby smiled reassuringly. "Do you feel any pain?"

"My head hurts…and I feel numb all over," she revealed softly.

Bobby nodded his head in understanding. "That's perfectly normal, you've been through a traumatic experience. I'm going to see if you have any laceration on your head and I also want to put in an I.V. to give you something to take the edge off."

"I'm allergic to morphine," she muttered, almost too soft for him to hear.

"You're allergic to what?" Bobby asked again.

"Morphine," Jim answered. "She's allergic to morphine."

A Bobby Melinda barely registered what he was doing as she felt like she was drifting in and out of a dream.

"I need you to stay awake, okay Melinda?" Bobby's voice broke through the fog, as he looked up from inserting the I.V.

Suddenly a loud noise nearby that sounded like a chainsaw, disrupted the peace and caused Melinda to jump, looking over to Jim with wide, terrified eyes.

"It's okay - you're okay, Mel," he quickly assured her and took her hand gently in his. "I know those noises can be alarming, but it's just the sirens."

She felt confused. Sirens? She then suddenly realized she couldn't move or feel her legs.

Jim immediately saw the fear and the questioning dawning in her eyes. "Mel, listen to me. You are going into shock and because of that, you can't feel parts of your body or injuries. You have no cuts or anything, just a severe concussion which can lead all of the symptoms you're facing." He stated calmly. "They'll have you out soon and then they'll take you to the hospital," he promised.

"You won't leave?" She whispered.

"Never," he smiled.

She gripped his hand, while he locked eyes with her and gave her a comforting smile. Soaking in his presence and sense of calmness, she slowly felt her anxieties and fears drift away. Surrounded by chaos and uncertainty, Jim's eyes were her anchor and kept her grounded to this existence. She felt safe under his watchful gaze and with the feel of his hand in hers.

"I love you," she whispered, wishing she could just be at home with him.

"I love you too," he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it before she fell asleep.

* * *

Melinda heard voices talking in the distance, but she didn't have the strength to open her eyes. Her body felt heavy and she could smell bleach. The voices then suddenly became clearer.

"We're monitoring her closely, it's been 27 hours now. You know how these things can be. She suffered a serious concussion and a sprained ankle. She's very lucky she didn't suffer any serious external injuries. Tests show the swelling around her brain is decreasing and she no longer needs the ventilator, she'll wake up when she's ready Jim." A male voice was assuring gently.

"I know, but I just want her to wake up now. I need to know she's okay." The reply was hindered by a cough. Jim.

Melinda willed her eyes to open, but they wouldn't budge. Panic started to settle in as she could only lay there and listen to what was going on around her.

"I'll come back and check on her in a little while. If you need anything, let us know. You know we are all here for you." The man said.

"Thank you, Jay, I appreciate everything you have done for us," Jim answered gratefully.

* * *

Melinda wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she felt her fears being soothed by Delia's soft hand in hers and her voice repeating "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"Delia," a gentle voice suddenly said. Jim. So gentle, his voice could always calm her. "I'm so glad you came."

"Of course, I'll move if you want." Delia said.

"No, you're fine." Jim replied. "Hey Ned."

"Is she going to wake up?" Ned asked.

"Yes, she should soon," he replied. "It's all up to her at this point."

"Then why isn't she awake?" Ned asked. "Why would she want to stay away from all of us?"

"It takes time for the brain to heal, sweetheart." Delia reassured him. "She'll be just fine. She's a fighter."

Melinda heard Jim's loud footsteps approach and felt him hovering over her. She then felt a warm kiss press against her forehead. "I'm here," he whispered into her ear. "My mother called, she's on her way." His hand slipped into her other hand and the sudden smell of forest was in her head. She willed her eyes to open once more, to no avail. "I love you."

A machine beeped and the door opened again.

"What's the machine doing?" Ned asked.

"Her heart rate fell, not into a serious low or anything. Pretty normal actually." The doctor said. "She's relaxed most likely because you're all here."

"And Jim came back," Ned laughed.

"Probably that too," the doctor laughed.

Melinda felt a lightness rush through her body. The feeling was welcomed as she realized she could finally move her fingers and blink her eyes.

"Melinda," he whispered.

She opened her eyes and scanned the room as things slowly came into focus. She looked over and saw her husband, with a bright smile and tears running down his face.

"Jim," she whispered.

"Oh, Mel," he slowly bent down and placed a kiss on her lips. "You're awake."

She touched his face, tracing over each feature and running her hands through his hair. "Not yet," she pulled him back to her and kissed him again until someone cleared their throat. She looked over to her other side and there, sitting with a huge and grateful smile on her face, was Delia and behind her was Ned, holding a small bouquet of flowers.

"Welcome back," Delia grinned. "I'm so glad you're back."

She gave a pained smile. She was so happy to see her again. "Thank you, Delia."

Delia nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else and Ned hear begged to come and get you flowers." She looked to Ned and waved him over, giving him a good of a hug as she could. "Thank you Ned. They are beautiful."

"You scared me, you know? You wouldn't wake up and then you started seizing in the rig. I've never felt so helpless." Jim whispered. "For the longest hour of my life I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You saved those kids," he smiled at her. "Don't be sorry. Do you want some water?" He asked as he picked up a plastic cup with a straw.

She nodded as he gently helped her take a sip. She was grateful when the cool water soothed her parched throat and she tried not to cough. Wincing slightly and putting her head back down on the pillow she asked hoarsely, "When can we go home?"

"I'm going to run a few tests, but I don't see why you couldn't go home today now that you are awake. I can see that you will be in the best of hands there is," the doctor smiled. "You're lucky to have such a supporting husband who happens to be the best paramedic there is around here."

"I know," she smiled and looked at her husband. "I'm very lucky." As if he could read her mind, Jim gently leaned over her and began stroking her hair

"But for now Miss Gordon," the doctor said. "I don't want you to worry about any of that, your job is to get better. I'll be back shortly."

"Lots of long and boring days ahead." She muttered.

"A day with you could never be boring," Jim winked. "If you let me take care of you that is."

"I will," she winked softly and smiled at him.


	45. The Underneath

**A/N: Ghost Whisperer is getting taken off Netlfix... AGAIN. Let's see how long they keep it off for this time before putting it back on lol. Enjoy the season three opener... xx Mariah**

* * *

She sat there, looking at pictures. Her life. There was one from when she was little with her grandma and her heart grew, a smile formed on her face. She missed her so much, but quickly moved past that photo. She had to find something, a photo of her with her father. Anything.

She found a picture of when she'd first gotten with Jim. Jim, Andrea, a man she couldn't remember and then herself, tucked into Jim's arm. She wasn't looking at the camera, she couldn't stop laughing. Her eyes fell to Jim, dressed casually, holding a beer and kissing her forehead, laughing with her.

Jim was coming downstairs. She could hear him and feel the questions he'd ask her. Only wanting to know how she was feeling on the subject of her father possibly being dead.

The next photo she looked at was one when she was little and then a photo only Andrea could've taken. She was laughing, on the couch in their tiny apartment with a glass of wine in her hand.

Then she got to the photo she'd wanted to find. The one where her father stood tall above her, smiling at the camera and Melinda was tucked blow him, his arm around her and pulling her close.

"What's this?" Jim asked, coming down the stairs.

"I had a customer today wanting to sell a trunk of old stuff and it made me think of my old stuff." She replied. "I thought there might be a clue if I looked through it. Something I'd missed."

He grabbed the arm chair and pulled it closer to the couch where she was sitting, looking at some of the photos she peeled through before coming back to that photo of her and her father.

"How was your mother?" He asked.

"Good, but full mental lock down, as expected." She replied and looked over at him. "Look at what I found..." She passed him the photo she'd set aside of them with Andrea and the man on what it looked to be New Year's. "You look so babyfaced."

"You loved my baby face," he laughed and she shrugged. "You know you did."

"Maybe a little," she giggled, touching his chin with stubble. "I love this more. So much more."

He grinned and moved closer to kiss her, and did, but shortly after noticed the picture of her with her father. "Look at you, so beautiful. Those eyes..." He fell even more in love with her as he saw this picture, but all he could notice was that she grew quieter. As she stared at the picture, her finger absentmindedly stroking over her father. "You've been quiet. What's the matter?"

"I just keep looking at him, at his smile and I wonder what he's hiding." She sighed . "What's under that smile? What does he know, and if he's trying to tell me something right now, then why doesn't he just come to me? Am I being obsessive?"

"Yeah, but with good reason," he replied. "Your father dying, no matter how you feel about him is big."

"My father has always been this big villain in my life," she explained, putting the photos back and bringing the box back to the others. "And now he may be gone, physically gone and I don't know. There's a hole."

She continued walking toward the kitchen and he followed her and went to do the dishes while she cleaned the counter with spray and paper towel.

"You didn't think he'd actually come back, did you?" He asked.

"Yeah, you know, I used to fantasize as Ali's that he'd come back. That he'd come pick me up one day after school and tell me this big story for why he couldn't come back." She explained.

"Hmm... that's funny. Your mother thought you'd romanticize him." He replied.

"Hey," she lightly slapped his bare arm.

"It's hard for us to see our parents in harsh ways, you know? Because once you find out that they can be flawed people just like us, it's hard." He explained.

"Flawed would be a kind description of my dad," she sighed, moving over toward the sink with an dirty plate. "But, still, if he would've just come back." She paused, noticing the way Jim turned to look back at her. "I would've believed anything he'd said to me. And I could have forgiven him for anything. I just... I wanted my dad."

He came to her immediately, wrapping his arms around her and sighing, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that he hurt you so much, but, I think about it this way, he may have hurt you but he could never take away that you have this beautiful heart." He whispered in her ear, kissing the side of her head. "No one could ever take your heart away."

"Wow. That was kind of heavy," she replied, laughing with him before pulling him to her for a full hug. "I love you."

"Yeah, I'm kind of exhausted now." He laughed, bringing his lips down to cover hers.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into the kiss, letting the heat to rise within her, stretching out into the very tips of her fingers. His lips moved firm against her own and she wished the moment would never end.

But it did, as always and she could never get enough of her husband's lips on hers.

"I'm goin' up," he replied. "You coming?"

"In a minute," she nodded.

He left the room and she opened the cupboard under the sink, smelling the old garbage she'd told Jim to throw away long ago.

"Oh! Jim!" She yelled. "I told you to throw this out a week ago. Nasty."

"Sorry," he called down to her.

She ran outside and threw it away. Sighing at the fact that she had to do it, but knew she couldn't be mad at Jim. He worked so much and sometimes he'd forget to do some tasks at home.

She'd turned back around when she noticed the grass move the first time.

She looked closer the second time she noticed it and watched the grass roll as though someone was trying to push through.

She walked onto the grass, looking down at it as rolled under her feet and she sunk down. It was like losing herself. In every way you could. She'd lost control of her legs, as the pull of the lawn slowly overwhelmed her. She didn't like losing control. Of anything. Ever. The ground was sucking her in and she had nothing to grab onto. No tree limb. No rope.

Hands burst from the ground and she screamed. It was the kind of scream that made someone's blood run cold. It pierced the brain and ignited some primeval pathway. Adrenaline surged through her veins, fight or flight, stand or run, be a hero or a coward. But all she could do was stand there and struggle against the grasp of this vision.

"It was you!" The ghost grunted, face full of dirt. "It was you!"

And then she remembered with a sudden clarity that she did have something to hold onto. And he was always within reach.

"Jim!" She screamed. He'd come. He always came. "JIM!"

And the door opened. "Mel?" Jim called and he ran as he watched her legs shake. "Mel, hold on." She could hear him, but he wasn't there. She couldn't see him. Just the vision, until he touched her. His arms grabbed her like she was nothing and picked her up and she screamed again. "It's okay. It's okay. It's alright. You're okay. I'm here. There's nothing here but me."

She grasped on his arms and looked at him, gasping and clinging onto him. She looked at the ground and gasped, trying to catch her breath. Trying to grasp onto reality, on anything that was solid, and Jim was. He kissed her head and soothed her, pulling her into a hug and calming the adrenaline that pumped in her veins.

"It was," she cried into his shoulder. "It was a vision and I was trapped Jim."

"I know," he whispered. "Everything's fine now."

"Is it actually?" She asked and looked at him. "Will we ever be just fine?"

Jim's eyes were glassy and he stepped toward her, his hand touching her cheek. "We're always fine," he whispered. "I love you and I'd never let anyone or anything hurt you." It's not the first time I've been fascinated by his eyelashes – they're longer than any she'd seen. He sighed. "It's stupid, but...you know how some people think that there are all these other universes, just like ours, only there's one little thing that went different? I'd always be with you, no matter where in the world we are. I'd love you even if you couldn't see ghosts, because life would just be a little less hectic and that's not the worse thing that could happen in the world."

"Yes," she smiled. "Do you wanna go upstairs and have some quiet time? I've always loved just lying with you."

* * *

They slipped into their room and parted ways. Melinda slipped into the bathroom and Jim went to his closet. She started to wash her face and brush her teeth before pulling on her nightgown. It's thin and forest green and impossibly soft. She'd found it on sale a few years ago and loved how it was shorter than most and incredibly soft and still cute and sexy.

Jim was already beneath the covers when she returned, but he left the bedside lamp on for her. She slid in beside him and immediately curled into him. His arms folded around her. "Goodnight, Mel," he murmured into her hair. "I love you."

But she couldn't sleep. All the emotions that she'd shrugged off from the lawn had rushed back, crawling around inside her head. Dread. Guilt. Fear. Worry for the future and what this ghost could bring.

"Jim," she said. In the silence it sounds louder than she expected. His eyes fluttered open, questioning. Here in the dark they're deep blue, almost black. She was not sure what to say; she couldn't be alone with her thoughts anymore. "I'm not going to let anything come between us, not even a ghost Jim. I love you and we'll have a family and everything will be happy and good."

He smiled, a slow, sleepy smile, and as she looked at him something flipped over in her stomach. "I would never let anything come between us either," he said softly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. His hand trailed down her cheek and came to rest on her neck. "You look sad. What's wrong?"

She leaned in and kissed Jim. There's a long moment of stillness. But then he kissed back, his fingers flexing on the back of her neck, moving up to tangle to her hair. A warm desire - one she remembered when it came for the first time, that need for more kissing, more touching. He broke away first, pulling back slightly. The tips of their noses were touching, just barely, and she turned her head a fraction to rub hers against his. Deep in her mind she knew this was called an Eskimo kiss and had always loved them. Especially with Jim.

"Talk to me," he said, his voice getting deeper as sleep crept up on him.

He was tired, but would he be if she made a move? No, her husband was never tired then.

"I don't want to talk," she replied faintly.

"Then what do you want?" He muttered, kissing her shoulder and almost rolling off his side to lie on his back, but only moving closer to her.

"You," she breathed.

"You have me," he smiled into her skin. "You always will."

"Will I? What if you-" She started.

"No what ifs," he interrupted. "No second thoughts or buts either. I love you Melinda Gordon, ghosts and all. And now, no more talking."

He kissed her and it was nothing like before. They'd never kissed like this.

It felt like any kiss, like their wedding, like the morning before his accident on the job, oh the cosmic law of french toast. But somehow it's exponentially more than that. It's entirely new and, for the first time in what might be her entire life, newness was not mingled with the thought of fresh horrors dancing just around the corner. A few seconds ago, they were just lying in bed together. And then, suddenly, they weren't.

His lips felt so different like this. She thought she knew them by heart and don't doubt that she doesn't. He never left her side without a kiss. He knew who she was. Really and truly. He knew what she's done, has seen the scar-ridden woman drenched in the feelings of the people they loved. Of random people who just needed her help. He saw everything.

And somehow, despite that, they'd managed to gradually grow together so closely that he's the first person she wanted to see when she woke up, and his voice was the one thing she wanted to hear before she fell asleep.

Now she was clutching him so forcefully that the beds of her nails ached as they press against the rough linen of his tank top. The back of her head was numb and tingling, maybe because the blood was rushing through her veins so quickly. The urge to swallow him up, to pull him so close that he's all but under my skin, was bewildering and intense, so driving that she couldn't draw their bodies against each other tightly enough. She felt strangely hollow, aching with something she'd never experienced on this level before in her life.

If what she felt on their wedding day was hunger, then this is starvation.

His broad hands were resting against the small of her back, and she could feel the tremor that ran through them. His fingers gently dug into the fabric of my dress, they press even closer together and she felt a dizzying rush as the hardness of his erection pushed against her stomach.

Talking was his domain, anyway, and they'd spoken enough for one night. She still didn't think she could verbalize the things that he wanted to know. She didn't know how to tell him what she felt without dredging up all the ways she'd hurt him by pushing him away or by hiding some of the things she'd done with her gift. She didn't want to talk about those things.

He was obviously torn between kissing her back and pulling away. She felt his fingers tug at her wrists, trying to draw her hands out of his hair.

"Mel…" he gasped out softly, winning the struggle to pull away. "Melinda, I…" he began again, his so voice throaty with desire she could feel it in her toes, distracting her from any thinking.

"Shut up Jim," she said, lips a hairsbreadth away from brushing his.

His reaction was explosive, rapidly skimming his hands along the lines of her jaw and under her ears until his fingers are tangled in her hair. When their lips meet, open-mouthed, she could taste him and that was something no one would ever get to do, but her. She slid her hands down his chest to rest on his hips and hem made a strangled sound in his throat.

No one could do that either and she couldn't help but break their kiss to laugh.

But then, she felt his left hand reach out for hers. Holding her palm lightly, as though it might shatter, he softly kissed the tip of each of her fingers. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him, and watch the thing that might be awe in his eyes melt into liquid desire.

The sudden intensity of his kiss knocked her back, but she caught herself and surged forward, gripping his hair and pressed her body to his. Their mouths moved together frantically, and, before she even realized what she was doing, she pulled his shirt off, allowing her fingers to drag trails across his broad chest. She began to kiss his skin, dragging her lips over his collarbone.

And then he stopped her. He was breathing heavily, but his eyes were clear and serious. "Melinda…" he croaked.

"I need you…" slipped out of her lips. "I want you."

He was kissing her again and it didn't matter what she felt or thought. All that mattered was that his lips were on mine and they never, ever leave. He pushed her down until she was lying on her back, and then want to touch him, to watch his face when she did, hit her in an abrupt rush.

She moved him underneath her and kissed him, moving her lips over his skin and pulling his boxers down with her lips, taking him into her mouth.

He yelled, grabbing her hair and lifting his hips slightly, letting her take her time, do whatever she wanted as he lied there. Until she moved back to his face, kissing him, letting him take her nightgown off, leaving them bare before each other.

She loved him.

He loved her.

They loved each other.

He wanted more. She did too. And when it came to Melinda, he was a fucking greedy son of a bitch. He wanted to see her, to taste her, to feel her, to hear the rawness of her voice as she panted his name. God he wanted to be inside her. To feel her clench tightly around him. He wanted all of it and more. He wanted to drag this out slowly so he could savor every last inch of her and commit each moment to memory, but at the same time he wanted to rip off every last piece of her clothing and drive into her relentlessly.

It was almost too much. He cupped her chin and pulled back slightly to get her attention. When she looked up at him through hazy, hooded eyes, he fell to his knees and buried his head in her lap.

"I want you," he groaned, inhaling her heady scent. "All of you."

She wiggled her hips and he could tell she was dripping wet; her body could never lie to him. When she tugged at his hair, he looked up hesitantly, worried to find regret written all over her face. Just because her body wanted him, didn't mean that she did.

"Then take me," she whispered before placing a soft kiss to his forehead. "I'm yours. I've always been yours."

He leaned down and trailed a line of kisses down her neck until he reached the sensitive spot just above her collarbone that he knew drove her insane. He nipped at her skin lightly and kissed it once more before lining himself up at her entrance, the welcoming heat and wetness of her core drawing him closer.

With an impatient thrust, he pushed all the way into her, grunting in approval once he was fully sheathed, her tightness every bit as perfect as he remembered. She moaned as he slowly and teasingly pulled back out all the way. He wanted this to last, so he took his time, memorizing and savoring how her face contorted with pleasure with each thrust.

It took every last bit of willpower for him to stay focused and not give in to the urge to selfishly pound into her until she screamed his name. He faltered the moment she lifted her legs up, opening herself wider to him, the movement of her breasts as her chest heaved causing him to push into her more quickly.

"Yes," she sighed, "just…like…that."

He could never deny her what she wanted. She must be close; he could feel her begin to flutter around him. He couldn't slow down even if he wanted to, he was no longer in control of his own body, but his mind was screaming at him to slow down, to make this last.

"Faster," she panted.

He groaned at her request, hooking his arms under the backs of her knees so he could plunge into her faster and deeper. He couldn't look away from the sight of himself disappearing into her over and over again, but he forced himself to when he heard her start to whimper and her head trashed from side to side in pure ecstasy.

"Jim..." She howled into his shoulder.

She clenched around him tightly as if she never wanted him to leave.

"I promise we can go slow next time, just please…don't stop." She promised breathlessly.

With the promise that this wouldn't be the last time he'd taste her, feel hear, hear her pant his name tonight, he finally gave in to the euphoria his body craved and let go.

Their eyes locked in a heated stare, neither one of them wanting to look away, wanting to watch the other as they fell over the edge.

He was so close.

He gripped her knees tightly as he took in the perfect body of the beautiful woman he'd never stop loving.

"Melinda," he gasped. "Oh Melinda—"

"I love you," she cried out suddenly.

She was going to be the end of him. That was certain.

He grunted as he let the words wash over him, his heart swelling in his chest as he plunged into her one last time, hard and deep. His hips shook as her back arched off the bed and he spilled into her.

He crumpled into a heap on top of her, careful not to crush her too much by the weight of his limp body. She shifted her sweaty body to the side and reached over to pull his arm across her waist until he was spooning her from behind.

His eyelids were heavy, but yet he'd never felt more alive all at the same time. As she kissed his knuckles, and whispered his name breathlessly into the night, he smiled into her shoulder.

They were quiet for a long time. She thought he'd fallen asleep until he said, very quietly, "It'll be okay." And then, "I love you." And then, "I'm never letting you go."

All she had left in her was a smile and she moved around to face him and tuck her face into his chest. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the soft touch of his hand against her back.

The moonlight shined in from the huge window and it shined on her face like a searchlight, illuminating her in this pale glow that turns her a golden color. He traced up her spine slowly and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He'd never let anyone hurt her again.


	46. Don't Try This At Home

**A/N: It took me a while to get a vision for what I wanted to do, but it came ;) Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

She was fixing a display when Payne walked into the shop, obviously disgruntled. the statue she'd moved just looked even more off then it did before and she moved it again, happy enough for now to look Payne's way again.

"Hey, I hope you're happy," Payne said leaning against the counter. "Are you happy?"

"Generally, yes, why?" She asked, smiling at him.

"Because those comatose girls woke up because of you," he explained. "And the are you Bloody Mary website gets like five hits, all from me of course. And the crickets have returned to my classroom and its all your fault! And the stark raving terror that had this town in its grips has left... all thanks to you miss Melinda Gordon."

She shook her head at his antics and pulled out her compact mirror to check her makeup. Jim would be here soon for their date. Something they hadn't done in a while and she was happy to see return.

"Well, I'm so sorry. I should've known how it would've affected you." She replied, tucking the mirror back into her purse.

"And to think I was going to let you walk free on that one hundred and thirty eight dollars you owe me, so pay up." He muttered, eyeing her. "Why are you all dressed up?"

She opened her wallet for him and shrugged. "Sorry, no cash, but you can take your payment in kind." She replied and smiled at him. "And its date night with Jim. A new tradition."

"What? Something from here? Some of this junk?" He laughed and she rolled her eyes at him. "And that husband of yours best know how lucky he is to have you dressing up for him like this." Just then Jim entered, the door ringing promptly and she smiled at him. "Hiya Jim."

He stood there in his glory, button up shirt and suit jacket and all with a clean shaved face. She could smell his cologne from here and she melted there. He was too handsome for his own good. Standing there, glancing at her, was her husband and she loved him so much.

"Hey," Jim said and looked to Melinda with a smile.

"This is me leaving disgruntled," Payne muttered to Melinda and she couldn't help but laugh as he squeezed by Jim.

"What time is our reservation?" She asked Jim, fixing a box and grabbing her purse.

"Eight o'clock. We're good." He nodded at her.

"You know what? I think maybe we are." She grabbed her keys and walked toward him, embracing him and kissing him promptly, a simple connection of their lips before turning to shut the lights off.

His hand met the small of her back as he guided her out and stopped to wait as she locked the shop up. They kissed again once she pulled her keys free and they started to walk away, her hands going to rub his back as they walked the short distance to the restaurant.

* * *

Their night had continued to the bar to have a few more drinks after dinner. It had been so long since they'd had a night out, a night outside of their home or going to Delia's for dinner or going to the shop together to do inventory (although that happened seldomly). Tonight was about them, about having time together because they did have times where their lives went on without each other because of Jim's crazy and long work schedule.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered.

Melinda smiled as Jim's hot breath whispered over her skin. "You might have mentioned it once or twice." She laughed and looked up at him as they waited at the bar.

"Well, have I also mentioned that you're sexy and incredibly gorgeous?" he asked.

"I think you're just trying to get lucky." She eyed him and kissed his lips, tasting the whiskey he'd drank at dinner.

He chuckled, hearty and genuine before looking at her, eyes glazed over, but serious. "How am I doing?" He asked.

She discreetly ran her hand down his chest. "I think you can count on it tonight."

"Hell yeah," he laughed and kissed her, grasping her ass through her dress and moaned against her.

"You should probably head back to the table before some drunk tries to claim it," she suggested and smiled at him before squeezing his hand. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

He smiled at her and squeezed her cheek, kissing her again before he went back to their table. She still had to wait a few minutes longer for their drinks, and she tapped her fingers against the bar. Suddenly, a strong, unappealing scent of cologne reached her nose. Rachel frowned as she turned to see a man leaning against the bar next to her.

"Hey," he greeted. "How's you're night going?" She winced at the overly-syrupy quality to his voice. She inched away from him, but he just stepped closer. "What do you say that you come home with me tonight?"

She scowled at the man and turned away, trying to distract herself with whatever game was on the big screen above the alcohol shelves. He thought that he was being smooth, but he clearly wasn't. All she wanted was to get away from him. This guy just made her feel gross.

"How about no," Melinda rolled her eyes.

Just then, her drinks were delivered to her. She quickly gathered them up and attempted to leave, but was stopped when the guy's hand suddenly landed on her ass and squeezed painfully hard. She whipped around to tell him off (and to maybe even launch one of the drinks in his face). But didn't get a chance, since Jim appeared and yanked the guy away from her .

He thrust a threatening finger into the other guy's face. "You don't ever touch her again," he snapped. "Got it?"

The guy just gave a sleazy smirk. "Hey man, she was asking for it."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Like I would ever go for someone like you."

"Why don't you leave this... this animal... and come home with me?" The man suggested and reached out to touch her again. "I promise you'll have a good time. Maybe even as much of a good time as I'll have."

Jim pushed the guy's hand away from her. The guy grabbed onto Jim's shirt—to do what, Melinda wasn't sure. Maybe he was going to try and push Jim away, as if Jim's stance would move, he'd been doing leg days more often at the gym and had more power in his leg muscles then he'd ever had before. At any rate, the guy didn't get a chance to do anything since Jim launched his fist into the guy's face.

"Jim!" She exclaimed again.

She couldn't deny that she was incredibly turned on by watching him defend her honor like that, but she had to push those thoughts aside. Jim was currently getting into a brawl with some random asshole, and she had to do something to stop it. What, she wasn't sure. But she knew that she couldn't let him get in trouble. Although, e was handling himself quite well, though. He had easily apprehended the drunk and yanked him to his feet by his shirt.

"Don't you ever talk to my wife that way again," he muttered before he tossed the guy aside like he was a doll. Chest heaving, Jim turned to face Melinda. He looked so hot and strong. He'd ditched his suit jacket at the table and his sleeves were pushed up and his muscles strained against the button up. "Let's go home."

"Okay," she managed to say.

He finally cracked a smile and kissed her. "We have wine at the house," he said.

"Yeah," she nodded and grinned at him. "I'll go grab your jacket." She thought she was quick, but as she turned around, his jacket around her forearm she watched the drunk man stand and walk toward Jim, arm already swinging. "Jim!"

And then the drunk punched Jim in the face.

* * *

"Ow," he winced.

"Would you just hold still for a minute?" Jim finally did what she asked and stopped fidgeting.

She pressed the ice pack to his eye and made sure that he held it there before she got another one for his knuckles. He hissed in pain but didn't jerk away. After the drunk had punched Jim, it had resulted in another full out fight. Both men had gotten equal hits in. She wasn't sure how much damage had been done to the other guy, but Jim had several bruises and his eye was swelling.

"So I guess I'm not lucky anymore," he mumbled with a dry smile.

"Stop that," she ordered gently. "You know, watching you defend me was extremely erotic."

"I'm glad I could entertain you," he joked.

She sighed and traced her fingers down the side of his face. The bruise that was going to form around his right eye was going to be the worst; the ones by his jaw weren't so bad. They'd all be gone by the end of the weekend.

He took her hand at his. He uncurled her fingers and kissed her palm.

"Stop it," she laughed. "Let me tend to you."

He relented and she went back to dabbing the blood off his face and applying ointment and bandages.

His hands brushed over her constantly. Each time it happened, it ignited that same fire under her skin that she felt every time he touched her. She chanced a glance up at him and found that he was already looking at her. His eyes were dark with lust. She knew that look, she was married to this man. She never all of his looks. It was dark, insatiable lust tinged with something else that she couldn't name. She sucked in a deep, calming breath before she turned to start on the next bruise.

She focused on trying dab the last spot of blood away when she suddenly felt something brush against her thigh. She looked down to see his strong hand retreat from her leg and back to grip the counter. Her cheeks heated up, but she forced herself to calm down. His fingers had grazed her thigh several more times. Just as she thought she'd gained her arousal under control, she found herself staring into his eyes. In that moment, she knew she was a goner. She grasped his collar and pressed her lips to his, gripping his shirt in her tiny fists. He returned her kiss just as eagerly. He laid her back against the counter that she sat atop, his hands tightening around her hips. His tongue plunged into her mouth and she moaned as she tried to pull him closer. He tore his lips from hers and began to kiss down her neck.

"Jim," she breathed.

It felt so good and so, so right.

"Mel," he breathed against her pulse point before he gently bit down. "I can't stop."

"I don't want you to," she admitted and pulled his mouth back to hers to kiss him deeply.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later she found herself on their kitchen counter with her legs wrapped around his waist as he pounded into her.

Her cries of pleasure rang out through the empty house as she fell over the edge. He groaned her name as he followed her, gripping her thighs so tightly that she knew there would be bruises, but Melinda didn't care. This was her husband and it felt so right and so good that she didn't ever want it to end. She pressed her face to his naked chest as she tried to catch her breath.

She didn't even mind that her bare ass was on the kitchen counter. She kept her arms and legs wrapped around him, and he wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close.

"God, Jim," she breathed once her breathing had evened out enough. "I can't… I…" She couldn't find the words to describe how amazing that had been.

"I know," he murmured as he stroked his fingers over her back. "I know."

She pulled back just enough to look into Jim's eyes. "I want to go again," She declared.

He smirked before he slid his hands under her behind and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.


	47. Haunted Hero

**A/N: Meowser Clancy wrote this because this episode was hell. It took six months to even come up with an idea. Sorry for such a long wait! I hope you enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda didn't know what to wear. It was as simple, and as ridiculous, as that.

The salad was made. Jim was already long dressed and ready to leave. Melinda was their only holdup, the only reason they weren't already on their way to see Matt and Gina.

God! It had been so long since Matt had been in Grandview. Melinda couldn't even imagine or stomach the thought of Jim enlisting. The long nights wondering if he was okay, where he was, if he was warm, dry, sane.

She sank onto the bed, still just in her underwear, losing herself to the vision. Jim. Getting shot at by enemy bullets. Jim. Getting caught in the crossfire and always trying to get back to his platoon because there was an injured man there.

He would be a good military doctor, she reflected grimly. Levelheaded. Always calm under pressure, sometimes almost supernaturally. And she could see him doing that, if circumstances were different.

And she could picture herself the military wife, dragged from pillar to post after his years of active service were over.

He'd considered enlisting after high school, as an alternative to going to business school and being just like his dad.

His dad. Jim had so many issues with his father, and it broke Melinda's heart that her husband had never gotten to resolve them.

Truth be told, she'd always kind of expected to run into Jim's father somewhere. With that rocky relationship with his son, she'd always been surprised that he'd been able to cross over, as though he had nothing to hold him back.

She sighed, thinking about her own family life, and shook her head.

There was time for that another time. She seriously had to get dressed.

She heard Jim's footsteps on the stairs and leapt up, going back to the closet and looking at the dresses there.

"Hey, babe," Jim said from the doorway. She looked over her shoulder at him, seeing the way he was leaning against the doorway and feeling her stomach jump, just a little. He was so handsome, so right, always at ease. "Feeling torn?"

"A little," she admitted. "My mind just isn't here."

He smiled, folding his arms. "What are you thinking about? Is there a ghost already?"

"No," she said, and picked a sundress at random, giving up and unzipping it, pulling it over her head. Jim walked up behind her, lifted her hair, and she shivered to feel his cool hands zipping her up.

"Then what are you thinking about?" He urged, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

Melinda caught a glimpse of the two of them in her mirror across the room, and her heart pinched again.

"It doesn't matter," she said, pulling away. "I need to finish my hair, we're already late."

She moved to her vanity, picking up her hairbrush.

Jim sank onto the bed, looking at her closely. "Mel."

Just one word. Barely a word. She inhaled, trying to find words, trying to find a way to tell him that didn't make her sound crazy.

"I was just getting lost in the thought of…" She licked her lips.

"What?" He wondered, tilting his head.

"If we were Matt and Gina," she said. "Well, no. If you were in the military. If you were the one coming home today."

His lips quirked in a brief smile, and he sat up on the bed. "Mel," he began.

"No, it doesn't matter," she hurriedly said. "I was just being silly."

"No, it's an entirely real possibility," he said. "Military doctors are given a fast track, and I wouldn't have to worry quite so much about student loans and things like that. I'd have housing while I learned and…" He trailed off, seeing her face. "I'm not going to do it," he said, voice soft, and moved off of the bed, coming behind her and bending over her to once again kiss her shoulder. "I never would. I couldn't leave you, Mel. I could never leave you."

And almost before either of them knew what was happening, before they realized they'd moved, they were on the bed, Jim on top, carefully bracing his arms on either side of her head, leaning down to kiss her.

And he was so heavy.

Melinda arched into the kiss, licking his lips, sucking at them. His hands were on her neck, her face, tilting her to the best angle, deepening the kiss, his tongue slipping between her lips.

God. He kissed so well, and she could barely breathe, and she ran her hands over his shoulders, holding tight, massaging, loving the feel of him above her.

His lips moved to her neck, her shoulders, then back to the center, and his mouth was hot between her breasts, his hands coming to cup the soft skin. Then he was peeling the dress down, and her breasts were bare, and he was gently rolling her nipples between his fingers, moving to tug them until he slipped them into his mouth. Oh god. He was hot and wet and she felt the heat between her legs and he was hitching her dress up…

And the phone rang.

They both froze, then burst into laughter. "We really don't have time for this," Melinda chuckled.

"We're going to be late as it is."

"True," Jim said, fumbling for his ringing cell phone. "Hello?"

Melinda walked to the vanity, grabbing at the top of her dress, tugging it back up. She felt Jim's eyes on her, hot and possessive. He didn't want to stop.

She breathed in, purposefully leaving the dress loose, reaching her hands up to fix her hair, feeling her breasts rise back over the dress, and hearing Jim's very sharp inhale.

"Oops," she breathed, but by the time her hands had reached the bodice to tug it back up, Jim's hands were there, unzipping her dress, covering her breasts with their warmth, and his hot gaze was meeting hers in the vanity mirror.

"We'll be there in fifteen, got a late start on the salad," Jim said glibly.

He hung up the phone and his fingers found her nipples, tugging sharply. "Matt's going to be late anyway," he said, his hands skating her waist, his mouth falling to her neck to plant a kiss there. And another.

And Melinda knew that they probably wouldn't be there in fifteen minutes. But that was okay.


	48. No Safe Place

**A/N: Ahh my favorite episode, even if it's super sad. It's just a great episode though, even with the scary aspects. Jimel wins overall in the end over evil Shane anyway. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

It was like any ordinary October day in Grandview.

The early fall has passed and most of the leaves have fallen off the trees as Halloween approached, but the tourists were still in bulk.

The skies have been low and grey these past few days, the rain has fallen as thick as any Melinda has ever seen around here. There was earthen aroma in the air with all of the rain, fog and swirling leaves. The season of fall wrapped around her senses like a well worn glove as she worked around the crowd of people in the store.

The antique store was a madhouse. People moved around the store, looking at various items.

Melinda was on the floor, trying to sell bigger pieces while Delia rang people up. Delia was also on the phone with a private school she'd been scouting for Ned for the past few weeks, which only stressed her out more.

Times were busy at Same As It Never Was right now and a Melinda needed Delia's full attention. But she hadn't given it the last few days because of the school calling her at random times for phone interviews.

At the busiest time of the year besides Christmas.

She'd been on hold for the past thirty minutes and Melinda had come over to help out multiple times throughout the phone call.

The hum of the crowed was immense, it was a blur of people speaking all at once. Peoples' coats rustled like leaves on the ground outside. People has started to trickle out since the nice day into a cold and damp late fall evening. There was barging and pushing to get out once customers checked out.

Delia had excused herself to the back room at some point and Melinda never realized if she came back out. It was so crammed inside the shop, she was glad to have her out of the way and occupied on the phone if she wasn't going to be helpful.

The rush soon subsided and she went to turn the sign to closed, excited for the day to be done.

Her night was only beginning. Once she left here, she was off on date night with Jim. He had written her letter before he'd gone to work that morning, leaving it on her vanity. He said he was picking her up and taking her somewhere for dinner, so she'd dressed accordingly. The location was a surprise, but he'd said that her favorite movie was showing and to bring a light sweater just in case it was chilly.

She'd brought a dress to change into, but the weather outside was gloomy and she was thinking about just sticking to her jeans and blouse. She'd add a nice necklace and pull a sweater over top because she had an idea of where Jim was bringing her.

The bell dinged and she looked up from the stack of money she was counting from the register.

It was Jim.

He smiled at her, the presence of his long day of work in his eyes, but he still looked as good as ever. He'd been working so much lately, like she had with the rush of tourist season and they'd hardly had any time for each other lately.

It was so good to see him. She was excited for a whole night with him.

He was dressed casual, and that soothed her worries about staying in the outfit she was wearing. He was in a brown jacket and graphic tee with a pair of jeans. He was still wearing his work boots, and there was clearly mud stuck to the bottom. Luckily it had dried before he'd stepped in the store and had not tracked all over the hardwoods.

"Busy day?" He grabbed the broom nearby, sweeping up the leaves that had come in with the rush of people.

"Busier than you'd think," she sighed. "Plus Delia's been on the phone all afternoon."

"At your busiest time," he swept around the table and made his way over to her. "That's not fair on you."

"I got everyone out and taken care of," she shrugged, setting a stack of fifties that made one thousand. She moved to finish counting the last of the money, coming to roughly another three hundred and leaving the usual two hundred in assorted bills inside. She moved to the shelves behind her, grabbing the deposit bag. She put the stack of money inside, sitting back on her stool. "It was a great day. I'm pretty sure we made double the usual profit."

"That's awesome Mel!" He exclaimed, stopping to kiss her cheek as he swept around by her. It was the least he could do. It was just one less task for her to do after a busy day. "What else do you have to do?"

"I just have to close the register down and lock up. I need to deposit this money in the bank either tonight or tomorrow morning." She said, pressing a few buttons on the register and a giant receipt printed out. "As long as you keep sweeping that is."

She read through the numbers, grabbing a pen to write in how much cash was in the drawer.

"Do it tomorrow," he set the broom against a nearby pillar, his hands moving up her arms. He kissed her shoulder, moving to her cheek. "I want your undivided attention for one night. Maybe even the morning… I don't have to be in until noon."

Melinda let out a shaky breath and nodded, setting the signed receipt in the bag and zipping it closed. She left it on top of the dresser, turning to look up at him. He smiled at her, brushing some hair behind her ear.

"I missed you this morning," she whispered, touching his face. "Your letter was awfully sweet and poetic. I loved it. So much baby."

"I thought you would," his hands moved over her sides and up her back, pressing against her shoulders lightly. He massaged the muscles in her shoulders, pressing the pads of his fingers into her soft skin, smiling to himself when she leaned into his chest and sighed. He relieved the tension in her body, her head clearing as he pressed a hot kiss against her neck. "You're tense, Mel. Too tense."

"I'm just swamped. It will die down," she opened her eyes, smiling up at him. "Just think of all the savings we'll have after tourist season is over. We could do something."

"Like what?" He whispered, his lips touching her ear and his breath moving over her neck.

"I don't know, but I'm hungry." Her stomach bubbled and she grabbed the deposit bag, turning to face him. She snuck in a kiss, her arms winding around his neck as he leaned into her before she pushed against his chest and moved past him. "Finish sweeping."

He chuckled and grabbed the broom, going to finish the other side of the floor. Melinda shuffled in the back, seeing that Delia was finishing up on the phone still and quietly locking up the deposit bag in the safe. She collected her sweater, buttoning it around her and grabbing her purse. She moved over to the collection of jewelry she hadn't put out to sale yet.

There was a nicer locket pendant that had come in recently from someone whose sister had passed away. It was something that ran in the family, she'd said and she hated to part with it but it had only brought sad memories up every time she saw it sitting in her jewelry box. Melinda understood, but had kept it back here just in case the woman changed her mind.

Would it hurt if she wore it? It did match her blouse.

She held the silver locket to her neck, clipping it and fixing her hair. She felt a heaviness add to her shoulders the moment she let go of the necklace on her neck. A tension headache formed between her eyes and she sighed.

Of course. She could never have a completely peaceful night, could she? "Hey Delia," she waved to her, getting her attention as she walked over to her. Her head spun a little, but she gained control and breathed through the pain. It lessened after a minute or so and she walked the rest of the way over to Delia. "Could you lock up when your done? Jim wants to take me out for dinner."

Delia moved the phone to her shoulder. "I'm sorry for being so distracted," Delia sighed. "This school should not take this much energy to get into."

"It's a great school Delia. Ned will do great there." She smiled, grabbing her phone out of her purse and seeing that no alerts or messages have come in. "Just get him in."

"Will do," Delia saluted her, bringing the phone back to her ear. "Yes, I'm still here." Delia smiled at her, waving. "Have a nice nice Mel. I'll open in the morning for you so you can have a little break."

"That's very sweet of you." Melinda blushed, coming over to hug her friend. "I appreciate it. Today was hard. Could you drop the deposit bag off at the bank? It's in the safe."

"Yup. It's on the way home anyway," Delia nodded and she made her way out to the sales floor as Jim finished.

"Finished?" She laughed as he spun the broom back into its place.

He came over to her, embracing her before kissing her forehead. "Yes, are you ready?" He asked.

"Yes. I am one hundred percent ready for a night with you." She smiled at him, basking in the love she saw in his eyes when he looked at her. He made her feel so good, every day. "It's been too long."

"It really has," he tucked his arm around her waist as he led her outside.

She tucked herself into him once he came through the door, seeking a little bit more warmth to the fall wind that bustled through the streets.

"Where are we going? That rugby team dinner, just a hunch." She suggested, smiling at him. "I heard the menu is supposed to be great."

"Yeah. I won tickets to go during poker at the firehouse a few nights ago," he shrugged, looking for traffic before they started to cross the street. "Thought it would do us some good to have a nice dinner. Plus that movie is showing that you like. And the wine list is good."

"You looked at the wine list?" She laughed at her husband's antics. He'd never been much a wine person before he met her. "How prestigious of you."

They walked the path through the square toward Lento's where the dinner for the rugby team was being held. Jim's arm was tightly wrapped around her waist, her body snug against him as they walked.

"I made sure they had moscato." He muttered, leaning in kiss her lips softly again. Her hand lingered on his face and she smiled. "Because I know how much you love that stuff when there's chicken on the menu."

"That's really sweet of you to check like that for me," she whispered and they crossed the street again to get to the restaurant. "I'm so excited for food."

"I'm excited for the little shrimp plates they will bring around," he said

"Ooh there are shrimp plates?" She gasped, her eyes going wide. "I wonder what else is gonna be passed around. Maybe cheese puffs? Or what about those ham and pickle things?"

Jim chuckled as she continued listing off different possibilities for horderves as they stood in front of the restaurant. He fished the tickets out from his back pocket and gave her one.

She was the only person he ever wanted to be this excited about food with. The only one.

* * *

Melinda came over to see Jim checking up on the guy who'd fallen. She held out an orange rose, smiling at him.

Jim furrowed his brow and he nearly made her laugh at loud, but she bit her tongue and held the rose out.

"Who told you to get that?" The man muttered.

"Colleen," she said softly. "She wanted me to give it to you."

He'd fallen back to his seat in the rig, and she'd held onto the flower, awkwardly.

"Colleen? That's impossible," his eyes went dark, a small smile coming to his face. Not everyone would've noticed, but Melinda did. She watched when he looked up, how he'd changed his expression to something more empathetic. "She was my worst nightmare."

He went on to explain and she glanced to Colleen, who sat perched behind him. There was something in her that pulled the wrong way.

Was Shane telling the truth? She couldn't completely tell.

Jim hated the way Shane was looking at her, even if it wasn't against the law to look. You'd think the guy would have the decency to not glance when he was there.

Melinda caught him staring at Shane, with dark eyes and a longing sigh. His tongue swept across his lips and his jaw tightened in frustration. She moved closed, her arm wrapping around his waist as Shane finally stood.

"I think my cab is here," Shane muttered. "Thanks for everything…"

"Jim," He held out his hand to him, shaking it as Melinda went to return the rose. She certainly didn't want a reminder of this stalker ghost. "Jim Clancy."

"And who's that?" Shane turned on his heel as Melinda walked away.

"That would be Melinda Gordon," he smiled, watching the sway of her hips in her jeans and then glanced to Shane, who was as well.

"My my… Melinda," Shane stepped a bit away from Jim, eyes skirting over every inch of her figure as she returned the rose. "What a marvelous creature that woman is."

"Yes," he said, choosing his words correctly. "My wife has that effect on people." She turned, her eyes meeting his with a heat that she only had for him. She'd calmed him, every time, and that was the only reason he hadn't punched the life out of Shane.

"Oh," Shane turned to look at Jim. "I didn't know. I wouldn't have thought… nevermind."

Melinda came back, standing awkwardly.

"It was nice to meet you both," Shane's hand went to touch Melinda's shoulder, but instead lingered and slid down her arm, almost obsessively. "Especially you, Melinda."

She nodded, uneasily, unnerved by the way he'd touched her, but maybe he was a touchy person. She didn't know the guy. She probably wouldn't see him again once she crossed this ghost over. His large, warm hand moved and he turned to leave.

"Pretty nice wife you've got there," Shane chuckled, walking past. "Wouldn't think she'd marry someone with such a little salary as a paramedic makes."

His jaw was set, and his gaze burned hers. She felt like she could melt, and she wanted to throw herself into him right now. She wanted to drag him back home and let him do whatever he wants to her.

He slips his hand around her waist easily, and she can feel his fingers press into her back, firm and solid and she was so glad he was here.

"Hey," she breathed softly against his ear, her lips and nose brushing at his neck. She secured her arm around him, her fingers latching on to the material of his jacket. "Don't let him get to you… I think they are opening up the dancefloor now that the movie is over."

He smiled at her, pressing a kiss got her forehead. She was instantly forgotten. No one would ruin their night out. Not even some sleazy guy a ghost was attached to.

After an hour of dancing and a combined six glasses of champagne, Jim turned Melinda in his arms as they swayed to the classical music, her back pressed against him and his hands tightening around her waist. The coil within her tightened and his strong chest pressed against her back and his fingertips trailing up her arm.

There was just something in the way Jim touched her, that lit a fire in her. Every. Single. Time.

He breathed in the smell of her hair and she closed her eyes as he spoke, his voice low, commanding and desperate all at the same time. "Can we get out of here, please?"

Jim and Melinda walked out of the restaurant after that.

"Tonight was…" Melinda trailed off, linking her arm around Jim's for balance as they stepped off the sidewalk and cross the street. "Tonight was fun… well besides that whole thing with that lawyer. What was his name? He has a creepy stalker ghost."

"A creepy stalker ghost? Is that what we're calling her?" Jim laughed.

"Shane was his name," she muttered, pulling him down to sit on a bench. "Let's sit. I'm tired. And a little drunk."

"A little?" He looked over at his wife, who was currently laughing so hard that her head had fallen back.

She moved to pull him closer, her lips pressing against his jaw. "Okay, maybe a little more than just a little." She hummed. "But Jim… I had fun. That was the point." She sighed, looking over at him with a bubbly smile. It reminded him of how she'd looked after their wedding. She'd been drunk on champagne then, not just tipsy.

"Yes," he smiled at her. "I'm glad we had fun." He stood up, holding his hand to her. "C'mon, let's get you home."

She took his hand, swinging into his arms and kissing his lips. Melinda was tipsy. She was also very touchy. And apparently really, really horny.

Jim had to keep batting her hand away every time she grabbed his crotch as he led her through the square. Luckily it was late, nearly eleven, and no one was around.

"Mel, stop." He laughed, his voice a near whine, when she pushed his hand away and palmed him through his jeans. "I'm begging you… you're killing me."

"Jim," she purred in his ear, teetering precariously on her toes as they crossed the street to where her jeep was parked. His resolve weakened, and he pressed her up against the car to indulge with her for a brief moment, reveling in the way she pressed against him before he pried her hand away and guided her to the passenger side. Melinda pulled him back toward her, folding herself in his arms and tilting her face up to kiss his neck. "I wanna have sex with you," she murmured, and he chuckled uncomfortably, resting his hands on her hips.

"Okay, well, we'll home in a few minutes. Just hold on–" He said, opening the passenger door. Her lips pressed against his throat and his adams apple jumped. "Oh Mel… you make such an appealing case."

"I want you right now. In the car," she demanded, licking a wet trail from his collarbone to his ear lobe.

He whimpered, faltering as he thrust against her involuntarily, then he shook his head. "Let's get home Melin-"

Her teeth dug into his shoulder muscle to cut him off. "I want you. Now, Jim. I want you to fuck me, right here, right now, in the car. Please, Jim?"

He groaned when her hand rubbed against him again. She laughed, pushing the door closed as she moved back from him.

She opened the back passenger door, crawling inside. She was sober enough to push the backs of all the seats down and stretch out.

He wanted to. God, he wanted to so bad, his own arousal making him heady and careless. He wasn't concerned about the public factor. He really wasn't.

He'd just wanted to get her home. After all of the drama tonight, they'd still had their fun, but he wanted to be home, in their bed, making love to his wife in peace. Not in the backseat of her car, no matter how appealing she was to him.

"You know you want too…" She hummed, reaching for button on her jeans. The zipper slid down on its own as her fingers hook the material and dragged it down her hips slowly. Her thighs were revealed as she pushed the jeans off her legs the rest of the way and footed them off. "Should I pull these off next?"

Her panties were slid down her hips some as he stepped closer, nearly getting inside.

She was going to be the death of him.

He stopped her before she could get past her hips, smiling at her.

"My job," he whispered, crawling on top of her and pulling the door closed.

* * *

A few days later, Melinda laid in bed, stretched across the comfy blanket. She'd reread the last paragraph of the book she held in her hands about a hundred times.

She just couldn't concentrate.

She wanted Jim to come home. He'd made up some excuse and had just left the station.

After the stunt Shane pulled today, she didn't like the thought of being home alone. He could come by at any time. All he'd said to her was that he'd be by later.

How late was later? Why would he be coming by?

She'd never been interested in him. Not even a little. He had just been someone connected to this ghost that she wanted to get crossed over. Why couldn't he see that?

The sound of moving furniture got her up. She walked through her bedroom, hearing something move again as she crossed the doorway. She made it down the stairs fairly quickly and looked through to the kitchen, seeing it was empty and dark. The dining room was too, and she could hear Colleen whimpering from behind the lounger by the window.

She saw her, just as her neck twitched and she looked down at her.

"It's happening again," Colleen whispered.

"No, it's not. He can't hurt you," she said, sighing. "Not anymore."

"But he can hurt you," Colleen muttered.

A loud bang against the door startled her and Colleen disappeared. It was just knocking. Had Jim forgotten his house keys?

She looked through the window, peeking from behind the curtain.

"Melinda?" Delia called.

"Delia?" She rushed to the door, unlocking it and letting her in. "What's wrong?"

She didn't even care at this point that she was dressed in her nightgown. It may only be eight, but she was waiting on Jim, and she'd hoped to use this time to keep her mind off things with Shane. Jim was always good at keeping her occupied.

"I was on my way home when the academy called," Delia explained. "They said Ned's school counselor called and was talking about his behavioral needs and all these remedial classes."

"Shane," she muttered. "Of course. This is how he operates. He's trying to push you away from me."

Delia huffed, rolling her eyes at the name. "Well it looks like I lied on his application!" Delia cried. "They will never let him in now!"

"It's started," Colleen reappeared and Melinda looked over at her.

"What has?" Melinda spoke softly, hoping Delia wouldn't startle her.

Delia looked around, hoping she'd see someone, but it was only her and Melinda in the foyer.

"He'll destroy everything you love. Until there is nothing but him." Colleen hyperventilated, her neck twitching. "Till there's no safe placed."

She disappeared, leaving a trail of questions in her wake.

What was Shane capable of? Had he killed Colleen? Was she next?

* * *

"Really? Shane?"

Jim had just got home and she'd told him everything. About how Colleen was the real victim. That Shane had been lying. She showed him the legal papers.

His hand were at her shoulders, rubbing the tension out of her.

"I didn't see this coming," he muttered, his lips pressed to her cheek.

"Me either," she groaned as his fingers kneaded the muscles in her shoulders. "I just want to get Colleen crossed over and for these tourists go home."

"Are we still on for this weekend?" He asked, his fingers slid down over her shoulders and down her arms.

"Mmm…" She hummed, thinking about a weekend away. Delia would be running errands on Thursday and she was to be all alone at the store. Maybe Delia would be okay opening up Saturday alone since Sunday the shop was closed. "I'll mention it to Delia tomorrow and see what she says."

"That's all I ask," he smiled into her shoulder, kissing the open skin there.

He could feel the tension in her from Shane. He didn't like it. He worried about her. He worried about her so much.

Should he have seen this coming? Shane had seemed like a normal guy. He was a lawyer, he'd even given him his card in case he ever needed legal help.

He thought back, to that night, to when he and Melinda met Shane. Had he shown any signs of being such a creep then?

He remembered helping him over to the ambulance once it arrived. He'd been helping since he'd fallen, so his colleagues let him do his thing. He was the best, after all.

Shane had a bruised his ego and had slight concussion, but nothing serious to worry about. He still couldn't believe he'd felt bad for the guy. Even if it was before they knew the truth.

Melinda, when she came over, she'd given Shane a orange rose. He'd been confused. Why would she do that? He knew then that there must be a reason, maybe she'd seen the ghost that was watching Shane.

But he'd sensed Shane's attention shift. His eyes lingered over, a smile grew on his face. Until she said Colleen's name. He'd fallen back to his seat in the rig, and she'd held onto the flower, awkwardly.

He hated the way Shane had glanced at her, even if it wasn't against the law to look. You'd think the guy would have the decency to not glance when he was there.

Melinda had caught him staring at Shane, with dark eyes and a longing sigh. His tongue swept across his lips and his jaw tightened in frustration again. The things he felt he should have done dominated his mind. He thought about his actions and words, finding them inadequate. He should've punched the guy, like he'd wanted to.

"Hey, I don't like this anymore than you do…" She'd turned when he stopped massaging her shoulders. She took his face in her hands, smiling at him. "But we have to stick together… we can't let him pull us apart, okay?"

"No will ever pull me away from you," he whispered.

"I know that." She breathed, before getting up from the couch. "Want a glass of wine?"

Her form-fitting nightgown was black, the straps were wide on her shoulders and it pooled around her like liquid silk. He breathed in and nodded as he watched her walk past him and into the kitchen. She was a sight for sore eyes, no matter what she was wearing.

His phone buzzed in his back pocket and he strained his eyes to see who it was from.

Unknown - 6:37pm

Your wife is a sight I'd like to see every night in that nightgown

He stood immediately, going to the window at the front. There was no one parked outside and there hadn't been the sound of a car speeding off or anything.

His phone buzzed again.

Looking for me Jimmy? You'll never know where I'm hiding.

His jaw clenched together and he threw his phone on the couch as Melinda came in, bottle in hand and two glasses.

"What's wrong?" She asked, eyes wide when she saw the way his fists were clenched. She placed the glasses and wine on the coffee table, going to him by the windows. "Did you hear something?"

"No," he muttered, brow furrowed. He didn't want to worry her about this. He didn't want her to know Shane was already watching them, hoping for a moment when he could sneak in and see her. "I just... I thought I saw a car parked outside. There wasn't."

He touched her shoulder then, caressing her skin, smiling at her.

He saw that his phone buzzed again on the couch. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. If Shane was watching, then he was going to get the full show. He wanted to touch her. He wanted her to touch him. For them to stop letting shane in their heads for one night.

He couldn't keep lying to her. He watched the way she looked at him, the way she was searching for answers in his eyes, in his face.

"Shane's watching the house somehow," he finally managed to say. "He texted me. I don't know how he got my number, but he did."

He studied her for a moment before going to the couch and sitting on the edge of the seat. He put his head in his hands, rubbing his forehead, hoping his headache would go away. Slowly, she walked over to him, careful to take a seat on his lap. He raised his head as she sat in his lap, his hands moving to holding her closer to his chest.

"If he's watching, so what." She huffed, thinking of when she'd showered earlier. Had he seen her then too? "I love you. I will only ever love you."

He smiled, holding her cheek in his hand as she leaned into his palm.

Our lips met and it was the softest connection at first, barely whispering against each others flesh. The kiss evolved into something soft, sweet and reminiscent of previous ones they've shared. She could feel him relaxing, opening his mouth a little more.

"Jim..." She murmured when they broke away. "What about Shane?"

He pulled her lips back to his and the kiss became heated. His tongue softly stroked hers, his hands moving from her face to her hips and pulling her flush against him. She pulled away and stood up off his lap. He leaned back into the couch, waiting for whatever she was thinking about, his hands at his eyes as his eyes raked up and down her figure.

Her hands went to the thick strap on her shoulders and she pushed them off, letting the dress pool at her ankles.

There was something so disarming about seeing Melinda naked. There was a vulnerability in her eyes he couldn't resist. His eyes traveled from her face to her collar bone, delicate in the semi-darkness, then to her breasts. Without lingerie they sit lower, more natural, less close together, each so perfect and moulded to her form. Then to her slim stomach to where her hips go out, wide and beautiful. He went to her thighs, then to her knees, then back up again. He didn't linger too long after that, just enough for her to see how beautiful she was to him.

He stood, his lips crashing against hers as his hands met with her hips, pulling her to him. His hands were at her ass then, spanking her lightly as his lips sucked on her neck. She moaned, grasping the hair at the nape of his neck.

It was quick.

He'd pulled her into his arms in no time, bringing her upstairs to their room, lying her on the bed and looming over her. Besides, there was nothing sexier than her sprawled under him, her tounge running over her lips as his tongue ran over her. Or the way her mouth opened in a silent gasp when their bodies connected, and he was inside her, filling her in every possible way.

As the bed rocked, she studied his expression in the darkness, a mixture of slack-jawed bliss and greed. Beautiful, painful greed.

Which is why she was surprised when he held out, determined for her to get there before he did.

When they laid there after, sprawled over the sheets, nothing but the top sheet covering them, she examined him. He looked so peaceful, sleep was claiming him slowly as he laid there, but he wasn't quite asleep. He was silently watching her, his eyelids drooping as he caressed her back.

He loved her so much. She knew that more than ever now. And she also knew how much she loved him and that she was no longer afraid of how they would move forward from here or if Shane would ever go away.

As long as she had this feeling of love, as long as she had Jim, she was not afraid of anything.


	49. The Weight of What Was

**A/N: I know it's been a while and I'm very sorry, but writer's block got the best of me for a while. I'm hoping it won't happen again, but you never can tell when its gonna come lol. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Jim was just finishing up washing the dishes from dinner as the doorbell rang, making him turn his head.

"Look at me," Melinda called out, appearing in the foyer with a smile on her face. "Doing my part and getting the door."

"Don't hurt yourself on the doorknob now," he chuckled. Melinda opened the door smiling, but it was gone as soon as she saw who it was. She couldn't speak, only continued to stare down Gabriel. "Mel, who is it?"

Jim turned, drying his hands off as he placed the last plate in the drying rack. His eyes set on the male, who stood smugly in his doorway. He was by her side immediately, pushing Gabriel back and shoving him off the porch.

The man tumbled onto the ground roughly with a grunt, landing on his back with a thud.

Jim didn't have words for the man yet, only anger as he stared him down. He heard Melinda follow him off the steps of the porch soon after.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked softly.

She stayed behind Jim, not wanting to be close to her so-called brother.

"Wow." Gabriel groaned, coughing as he rolled onto his side to stand up. "You're mad," Gabriel smoothed his jacket out as he stood. "I was there when you got hurt. You think it's my fault, don't you?"

"You weren't just there, Gabriel," Jim pressed his hand into his chest, blocking him as Melinda came down the steps. "You were there, smiling, and she wasn't just hurt. For the longest minute of my life, she was dead."

"Yeah. A part of me didn't mind seeing you like that," Gabriel sighed, looking past Jim at the next moment to her. "I blamed a lot of people for leaving me locked up… in where I grew up." the man muttered.

"Too bad," he said. "Now go. We don't want you here."

"Melinda," Gabriel stepped toward her. "I'm trying to find dad."

"Mine or yours?" She clasped her hands together in front of her body as she stared him down.

"Ours," Gabriel replied.

"My father is dead," she stated, coldly.

"Why should that stop either of us from looking for him? We can see the dead, Melinda." Gabriel retorted.

"Look, are you done?" She asked. "I was having a perfectly fine evening with my husband before you showed up."

"Melinda, look-" Jim cut him off with a hand to chest, pushing him back as he tried to get closer to her. "I understand not wanting to think your old man had another family on the side, but it's true."

Melinda felt tears come to her eyes as she turned away from Gabriel. She didn't want him to see her so vulnerable.

"But are you going to tell me that you haven't seen him? Or had dreams about him?" She looked back as another tear fell. Jim had looked back too. He hadn't even known about her dreams of her father. Not completely. "Yeah. I thought so. Well, don't think you're special, because he has been visiting me too. How do you think I learned you were my sister?"

"Jim asked you to leave, nicely." She said softly, her tears getting caught in her voice.

"What are you hiding from, Melinda? We're both trying to find him. We both have unfinished business with him. We should be working together."

"That's enough," Jim shouted, blocking him as he tried to push past him. "Go."

"Look, my mother gave this to me when I was a kid. She said it belonged to my father," Gabriel held out a manila envelope to her. "Take it," Gabriel said. "It'll mean a lot more to you than ever will to me." She grabbed the envelope from him slowly, looking at him. "To you, they were family. To me, they were just more people he had to hide me from."

"Where was your mother through all this?" She asked.

"She was always close by," Gabriel muttered, straightening his jacket. "In the next ward of the mental hospital." The man started to walk back toward his car then and Jim reached out from Melinda, pulling her close. "I'll be waiting by the phone for when you call Melinda. You always do what's right."

Jim couldn't stand it. The audacity that man had.

"Let's go inside," he said, sliding his hand down from her shoulder to her lower back.

Melinda nodded as she leaned into him, feeling his lips peck her forehead before they turned to head back in.

* * *

It was later that week, and Jim couldn't catch his breath. Melinda was missing. Thirteen whole hours.

Taking a deep breath, he slammed the sledgehammer into the brick wall. He finally felt it give a little. He hit again. Again. No matter how much his arms ached, he picked the sledgehammer up and shoved it back against the wall.

"C'mon Jim, you haven't taken a break in almost hour. You need to hydrate," Delia held out a bottle of water as he slammed all of his force into the wall again.

He was dripping sweat, his shirt clung to him and his hair was a mop on his head. "I'm almost through," he grunted. "I'm not stopping. I can feel it."

Payne watched from afar, in amazement that Jim still had the energy to keep going. The professor knows he sure would've been out of energy after ten minutes. "Do you have any ice?" Payne took the bottle from Delia. "This is room temperature."

He could see the dagger the woman sent him as he took a sip of the water, just as Jim broke through on the wall. He kneeled down and pushed the excess bricks out from around the initial hole.

He shone his flashlight inside the tunnel and looked around. "You both are coming with me, right?" Jim asked.

Payne gulped and looked at the dark, nearly-cave-in tunnel, but Delia answered before he could.

"Of course! We have to save Mel." Delia exclaimed and they all stepped into the tunnel.

Jim, Delia, Payne, and Melinda climbed back through the hole an hour later. Melinda limped as Jim supported her, helping her sit down once they were back in the basement of her shop.

"Let me look at your ankle," he said, kneeling down to get a better look. Her foot was swollen and around her joints was bruised. He pressed a kiss to her foot, knowing it had gotten crushed after her fall. She'd also lost her shoe. "It's just a sprain. I'll wrap it at home."

"Home sounds nice," she coughed. "So no hospital?"

"You seem fine. Did you hit your head?" He asked.

"No," she reassured him.

"Then you should be fine," he said. "But let's get you home."

* * *

Jim pulled up outside their house not long after, and he carried her up the stairs to the bathroom. He helped her pull the torn and duty dress off and get her into a bath. Bruises scattered up her back and along her legs from the rough rocks she had landed on in the cave-in.

"Oh, Mel." He whispered, running the luffa across her back. He brought the warm water over her back and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "I wish you would've just told me where you were going. I would've gone with you."

"And got us both stuck?" She looked over at him. "That wouldn't have been very smart."

He leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips as he stood up. "I guess you're right there." He said. "Do you want some tea? I'm gonna get a beer."

"Sure, that would be nice." She said, leaning back against the clawfoot tub, still smiling, but it faded when he started toward the door that leads into the hallway. "Hurry back. I don't wanna be alone right now."

"I thought that nothing scares you." He said, looking back at her again. And yet you scare me so much with the thought of losing you, Jim added in his head.

"Just clowns. That's it." Melinda replied.

"Whatever you say, Honey," Jim said, turning serious as he went to get her tea. He came back a few minutes and sat beside her on the floor with a huff and then looked over at her.

"For some reason, I don't think I like where that look you're giving me is going," Melinda said, matching his tone. But the look on her face said it all; I'm so sorry for scaring you tonight.

"I really wish we didn't have to talk about this, but I can't take it anymore. I can't stand the thought of losing you." Jim admitted, handing her the steaming mug as he took a swig of his beer.

"That's what you're here for, though. I do dangerous things, you save me." Melinda reasoned.

"Yeah, maybe. But still, Mel. My point is that next time you're going to do something stupid and dangerous, call me, and I'll come with you." Jim said.

"Stupid? So now you're saying what I do is stupid. That's great, Jim, really great." Melinda said, setting her mug down on the nearby bathroom counter with unnecessary force. She pushed up off the back of the tub to sit up and turned away from him slightly as she washed the dust and clay off of her

"Mel, that's not what I meant and you know it," Jim said, instantly regretting his words. He was frustrated with himself. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm sorry. Okay, I'm sorry. It was really bad word choice, but you know what I mean. I can't stand to lose you, Melinda. It scares the crap out of me." He paused, losing his reserve for a moment as he choked up on tears in his throat before he cleared it. "I just need you to know how much I care. Mel, my biggest fear is not being to save you one day." Jim said, defeat in his eyes.

Melinda's anger melted away. He wasn't trying to tell her what to do; he simply didn't know how to express himself anyway.

"I can take care of myself, Jim. You of all people should know that," she said softly, turning back toward him slowly. She sat on his lap, pulling his face up. Tears stained his cheeks and she wiped them away.

"I know. You just don't always think with the brilliant head of yours." Jim smiled, poking her head.

Melinda giggled, rolling her eyes at him. "I'll try to be more careful. I can't promise you, though." Melinda said.

"I'll take it. Almost done?" He asked.

She replied by leaning in to kiss him, his hand touching her cheek as their lips touched. His hands moved through her hair. He grasped the strands firmly enough in his large hand near the base of her skull so that it didn't hurt, but it did force her head back so he could get deeper into her mouth, letting his tongue and teeth travel inside and out, even past her bottom lip and over her chin in playful nips.

She detoured to his hair, but they didn't stay there long. She wanted new territory; anything she could get. Every inch of hair and skin she could grab onto. She grasped at his back, making him shudder and run his teeth along her tongue in response. Her hands grazed the soft ties of his pajama bottoms before moving up to his bare chest.

She pulled back, kissing his nose. "I should get out of the bath if we're gonna… you know."

He stood up and helped her out, giving her a towel as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her. He pulled down her towel and her breasts fell naturally on his hands. Grabbing them, massaging them, he licked the nipple as he looked up at her, causing her to squirm on his lap. He sucked at them softly, making her shudder with pleasure against him.

He felt so good. His scent was surrounding her, his mouth was soft but responsive again her, and he let her hand rub up against his erection until she was cursing at the layer of pants between them. He let her do all this and groaned through most of it. Groaned. Moaned quietly against her breast and cursed against her and then laved the flesh around her nipple with his tongue was apologizing for the filth he'd let into it. He grunted and picked her up so her knees didn't buck, and even still, she felt weightless in his arms.

He panted. "I thought you wanted to go to bed when we got home." His hands left her hips, trusting her to wrap her legs around, and they slid up and over her stomach. He looked up at her under lowered lids, his eyes drugged and dark. It was the hottest thing she'd ever seen.

She nodded and smiled suggestively. "I wanted you to take me to bed," she moaned quietly, attaching her mouth to his neck. It was rough with stubble. That was new. He had shaved just the other morning, and it had started to grow back in, she concluded. "Jim, go to the bedroom." She whispered, his name carried out of her mouth on a ragged breath.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight. "Say it again," he begged.

"Mmm, Jim." He didn't even have to tell her. She tried to wrap her arms around his neck, wanting to kiss him again.

He brought them down slowly, raising the tip of her chin, looking at her eyes. "Not till I tell you to," he whispered, then kissed her passionately on her lips. He gained his footing and turned around, holding her steady against him. "Now," he said and her hands moved around his neck as he walking into their bedroom, his mouth falling to her neck.

Once they were in bed, his arms wrapped around her and he undressed her slowly, caressing each inch of her exquisite skin as he moved down on the bed. He opened her thighs with his hands and spent an endless amount of time with his face buried between them.

Jim tormented her to the edge of orgasm over and over, pulling back just before she slipped over the edge, time and again. His face dripped with her juices as he thrust his tongue into her and alternate between sucking and nibbling on her swollen clit. He teased her with her fingers, inserting just the tips, then curling one inside her, then moving three at a time.

By the time he finally let her fall, she was begging with pleas of incoherence.

Before she can recover, he slid up and into her. He rested his weight on his forearms, tucking his face into the crook of her neck as he took her slowly. Melinda's breathing was erratic, and her eyes were shut in pleasure as her fingers opened and closed on his shoulders.

He let his head drop onto her chest as he came, and whispered to her, "I love you."

Her hands ran through his hair as he rolled himself underneath her, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I love you too."

She fell asleep within minutes. Here, Jim truly felt as though everything was alright. No fear, no death, ghosts. Even if it was only for a moment, he didn't have to worry about anything. Cause all he had to worry about was safe in his arms.


	50. Double Exposure

**A/N: I was going to do more than just this, but I got lazy. Sorry xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda lit the last candle in the living room as Jim came in through the front door.

"Honey," he called out, smiling as he saw her there in a white dress, blowing out a match. "I'm home."

"Hey stranger," she smiled, walking up to him. She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips before standing back on her feet. "You hungry?"

"What's all this?" He looked around at the scene before him.

There were two plates on the coffee table with a glass of wine on each side. The scrabble box was in front of it, for after, knowing Melinda.

"You just worked a forty eight hour shift, Jim." She shrugged, smiling at him. "I thought it'd be nice to come home to dinner and some relaxing time with me."

He came around the couch and sat beside her. "You didn't have to go all out," he smiled. "Though it is nice."

"And I thought we deserved a nice, normal night," she said, putting emphasis on normal. "After everything in the tunnels and how much I scared you that night… I owe you an apology for not letting you know where I was headed. I scared you that night and I'm sorry."

She leaned against him and closed her eyes, relaxing into his arms. The way she was feeling right now was almost indescribable. Or maybe it's just a feeling she hadn't experienced for so long that she'd forgotten what it was. It's beyond happiness or contentment, it's…well, as always, she came up short when it came to words. All she knew was that she felt safer in his arms then she'd felt in a very long time.

Right now, with Jim's arms around her and his head buried in the crook of her shoulder, she was having trouble remembering she'd made dinner that was getting cold on the table.

Jim's voice pulled her out of her head. "Should we eat?" He asked her, his hand rubbing her back as she pulled back from the hug. "It looks delicious. I'm starving."

For a few beautiful moments, they sat in complete silence, both eating, his free hand stroking her arm. She'd stay like this forever if she could. Even with a thousand unanswered questions hanging over her, and the future feeling so uncertain, she could forget everything when Jim just touched her like that.

"How are you feeling, Mel?" Jim asked, breaking the silence. He cut into his steak, the warmth of his fingertips leaving her as she took a sip of her wine.

That question could mean a lot of things, but she decided to take the easy way out. "I'm fine," she responded, setting her empty plate. She'd made steak, potatoes and broccoli. It had turned out pretty well, considering they had both just eaten their food without much conversation. "Full. I don't ever want to get up."

He laughed softly. "Me too," he told her, taking his last bite of steak and setting his plate on the table. "But I'll go grab the rest of the wine and put the plates in the sink." He leaned forward to kiss her cheek as she finished her glass of wine.

When he left, she opened the scrabble game up, getting ready for his return. He returned with the bottle and plopped down beside her.

"Ready to lose?" She winked at him.

"You bet," he chuckled, pouring her a glass. "Just prepare to lose this time, Gordon."

A half an hour later, Melinda pondered her next move. She didn't have much of a letter selection like she had in the beginning of the game, but she didn't care all that much. She knew they wouldn't finish the game with what she had in mind.

She shuffled her tiles around, feeling Jim's eyes watch her fingers as she slowly picked up four of her tiles and brought them to the board.

Jim had played the word cab earlier and she placed her tiles on the end of the word, making it cabaret and earning a measly twenty two points on the double word the t was on.

"Touche," Jim said, looking down at his tiles as he wrote the score down. "So we're making big words off of others, now?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Melinda snickered, grabbing four tiles out of the box and placing them with the rest of hers as she sat back down on the floor. The heat of the fire Jim had started warmed her and gave her a warm glow as she smiled. "I'm just beating you as usual."

"Mhmm," he said softly, shuffling his tiles around. He brought his first tile under the letter v. She'd done the word violin earlier and he was building off.

She smirked when she saw that the word he used was vixen, licking her lips as she looked back at her letters. Shuffling her tiles around, she looked at the board. What would should she do next?

She placed down a word without thinking, her eyes meeting his as he read it.

Cock.

"Melinda," he flushed a bright red and chuckled, playing the letter y at the end with an eyebrow raise to her. "You're turn."

"I know," she surged forward and cut him off with a hard, almost desperate kiss from across the table.

He made a few half-hearted attempts to speak, but she pushed her body as close to his as she physically could by walking around the table and continued attacking his lips with her own. She sunk into his lap, her nightgown balled up around her knees as his hands held her tight to him around her waist.

"You are so fucking sexy," he growled as she ground against his ever increasing hard on.

A proud little smile blossomed on her lips when his head fell back to rest against the seat. She leaned forward and pressed, hot, open-mouthed kisses along his throat, reveling in the vibrations his moans made against her lips.

His hands deftly find the clasp of her bra under her dress and had it undone in seconds. She smiled, remembering how he had almost struggled the first time they'd been together. He's come a long way. The straps sprung free and he slid them slowly over her arms, watching the telltale goosebumps appear under his touch. His thumb found one of her nipples under her dress and teased it until it stands out firmly against the silk.

His electric eyes flickered toward hers as he leaned forward and brought her dress up, taking it into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the bud until she released a shuddering whimper, letting her hands tangle in his wild hair. She arched against him as he wrapped his arms about her waist again, before switching his attention to the opposite breast. His cock throbbed against his leg, and she didn't know how much longer he could wait. She started to pull off him, standing up and leaving him to look up at her like he was a lost puppy.

"Where are you going?" He asked breathlessly, reaching out for her hand.

"Nowhere. Lay on your back," she said.

He listened, lying down on the couch. She pulled open his work shirt, discarding it as she straddled him better. Jim slipped the thin lace of her panties down her thighs while his mouth moved back up to tease her breast again.

Melinda was half delirious with want as she lifted her legs one at a time to free herself from the small scrap of fabric. His hands were there, slipping inside her, teasing her as they kissed. He grinned and kissed her deeply, his tongue slipping past her lips as he savored every taste of her.

When they pulled apart, she let her forehead come to rest against his with a quiet chuckle before they kissed again, just as someone knocked on their front door.

They both looked up, staring at the door as the person knocked again.

"Are you expecting someone?" Jim asked, grunting as he leaned on his elbows.

"No one," she sighed, pulling the straps of her nightgown up as she moved off him. "You should get it. I think it's Payne."

"I know you guys are home," Payne yelled, knocking harder. "Your cars are out here."

"You're mine the second he's gone," he muttered as he got up, fixing his pants the best he could as he went to open the door.


	51. Unhappy Medium

**A/N: I couldn't find much to do with this episode besides these small scenes. This episode was mostly about the ghost, so not much Jimel to go off of. Also, I hate Jim's short hair... if you can't tell lol. Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda swayed as she entered the bathroom and felt a man's hands on her back as she walked forward, barely able to keep her eyes open. She walked toward the sink, seeing the mirror and grabbing it.

She turned back around and swung it at the man who guarded the door. He fell and she dropped to her knees, turning him toward her, revealing his face.

Jim.

How could it be Jim?

"Jim?" She whispered, touching his face.

"No!" She woke up in bed, her heart racing and sat up in bed.

"What's wrong?" Jim sat up next to her, kissing her cheek, rubbing her back to try and calm her. "No. It was just a dream. You're alright."

She shook her head. "It was a vision," she whispered. "Something that happened to Sydney. She was in a place like a cabin and they had her handcuffed to the bed."

"Okay. What else?" Jim asked.

"And when they took her to the bathroom, she hit the guy with a mirror." She paused to take a deep breath. "It was the guy that was holding her captive," she turned toward him and touched his face. "But he had your face."

"You had to hit it with a mirror?" He asked, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers.

"It makes sense now," she pulled away, wiping a tear away. "Casey told me she was using my life to tell her story and she is. I believe him now."

"How do I fit in?" He asked, rubbing her back softly.

"She was telling me that the person who held her captive was someone she loved." She whispered, looking back at him.

"Oh, Mel," he whispered. "I'm sorry you had to do that. What can I do?"

She shrugged, leaning into him. "I don't know if I can sleep," she whispered. "Will you lay with me?"

He pressed a kiss to her lips before he hugged her. "Of course," he whispered and started to lie down.

She laid down on her side of the bed at first before curling into his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist as she rested her head on his chest.

"How bad was it?" He asked after a minute of silence, turning onto his side like her so he could hold her closer. "Tell me everything."

"I could barely see or walk straight. It was awful." She said softly, but clearly as she rested her head on its side on his chest.

"We don't have to talk about it anymore," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

She nodded, grabbing his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. It was only a minute that even passed before they were tangled together in a way that was decadently familiar. He buried his head in the crook of her neck.

She was drifting quickly to sleep when his lips brushed against the skin there in a feathery kind of almost kiss.

"I don't know what I would do without you here," she whispered, running her hands through his hair.

The words were so soft, he knew he was the only one meant to hear them and he lifted his head to smile at her, leaning down to kiss her lightly.

"I love you so much," he whispered as he rolled onto his side, still facing her. "Let's try and get some sleep."

She nodded, letting herself sink deeper into the comfort of his arms as she laid with him, thinking that it was nice to pay him back a little, even if it was only in such a small way.

* * *

Melinda tried to stay awake; she really did. Jim was supposed to get in just after midnight, which really wasn't that late, after all. But after searching the woods with Casey, chasing after Nikki, and crossing over Sydney at her family's house, her body ignored the cup of coffee she had after dinner and insisted that she laid down. So she got in bed, telling herself that Jim will probably be so worn out from his shift that he'll want to go straight to sleep anyway.

When she came to, he was pressing soft, warm kisses down the back of her neck, then moving back up again to just behind her earlobe. She turned around to face him and threw her arms around his neck.

"You're back," she said into his bare chest with a sigh and then breathed him in. He smelled like soap and shaving cream. He must have taken a shower while she was asleep.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "I was so torn," he whispered. "I didn't want to wake you, but I just had to touch you."

She smiled. "I wanted you to wake me."

"And then your neck was right there, and I had to kiss it. I just missed your neck so much. Even if it was only twelve hours." He groaned, indulging in another kiss.

She laughed. "Is that so? What else did you miss?"

"This," he said, nibbling her earlobe, "and this," he whispered, kissing the hollow of her throat. "And this," and he moved to her mouth, and she could smell the toothpaste on his breath. She pressed three fingers to his lips. "Wait," she said, rolling over and jumping out of bed.

"Not this again," he groaned. "Melinda, you do not need to brush your teeth," he said sternly.

"Easy for you to say. Yours are already brushed and you just showered." She chided and flicked the bathroom light on.

"We've been over this. I don't care." He laughed.

She doesn't answer because the toothbrush was already in her mouth, and she knew he hated it when she tried to talk while she's brushing her teeth.

"Babe," he growled. "Get back in here."

She gave her tongue a few good, hard brushes and then rinsed with mouthwash. When she emerged from the bathroom, she found him sitting on the edge of the bed, and he pulled her to him so that she's standing between his legs. She bent down to kiss him, and as their lips and then their tongues touched, she sighed into his mouth – she really did miss this.

But then he's breaking the kiss, saying "Eww, mouthwash," and laughing into her shoulder as she punched his arm. "Just kidding – it's just that I wanted to get to these," he said, moving down to kiss her left nipple, and then her right, through the fabric of her tank top. "I missed these a lot."

He lifted the bottom of her shirt, and she thought he's heading back to her breasts, but he stopped and kissed her stomach.

"Sorry," he said, "I got a little distracted. I was heading here." He took her left nipple into his mouth, and she closed her eyes with a moan.

This, she thought, she missed this. She gripped his shoulders as he moved to her other breast. As he swirled his tongue slowly around the nipple, she shuddered and clutched at the back of his head and—froze when she found that there's practically nothing there.

"What?" he mumbled into her breast.

"There's nothing for me to grab onto. It's too short," she grumbled.

She loved to run her fingers through his loose, messy curls, never failing to marvel at how soft it was, especially compared to her own coarse, straight hair. And, of course, she loved to pull it at times like these.

"Sorry," he apologized, giving her right breast one last kiss before pulling her down to straddle his lap and turning his attention to the side of her neck. She reached over his shoulders and ran her hands along the hard muscles of his back, spreading her fingers wide and sucking in a breath at the feel of his tongue just behind her ear. She could feel his erection between her legs, and when she rocked her hips into him, she decided she needed more, immediately.

"I need you to do me now," she moaned, kissing his neck, nipping at the skin.

"But we were just getting started," he said into the top of her shoulder.

"I think we can save the rest for tomorrow morning." She rocked her hips into him again, and he groaned.

"Ok, then," he laughed, bringing his forehead to hers. "But I think you should fuck me." And then he let himself fall back onto the mattress, arms spread wide, one eyebrow raised, the corner of his mouth turned up.

She made quick work of her shorts that she had been wearing and his work pants and then slowly lowered herself down onto him. This, she thought, yes, this was what she really missed. She leaned forward and put her hands on his chest, and as she rotated her hips, she started to lose herself in the feel of him. He reached under her and held his palms so that they just brushed her nipples, and she moaned, rocking her hips faster.

"I missed seeing you like this," he whispered. "When was the last time your gorgeous face above me, your hair hanging down…" He grinned, and she laughed and leaned down to peck him on the lips before sitting up again and continuing the rhythm she'd started.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position and leaned forward to suck on her right nipple, and she cried out. The next rock of her hips took her over the edge and she fell, shaking, onto his chest.

"Oh," she breathed. "I just came."

"I noticed," he chuckled, running his hands up and down her back.

"Now let's work on you," she said, propping herself back up and swiveling her hips again.

"I'd rather work on you some more," he said, pressing his thumb against her clit and sending a second, smaller wave crashing through her before she even realized what's happening.

"Oh my god," she panted, collapsing against his chest again. "Ok, now we definitely have to work on you." She started rocking again, but slowly.

He grinned, kissing her deeply and rolling on top of her. He pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck and then shifted to line himself up with her, and she rose her leg to rest it on his hip as he pushed into her. And as he moved harder and deeper, she found herself hurtling toward the brink, yet again.

"Oh god, I'm going to come again," she gasped, kissing him deeply. And she did.

"Good," he said, and she thought she could hear the smirk in his voice. He's really panting now, and she hoped that he's close. And then he came, making a strangled noise into her hair and buried his face in her shoulder. "Now sleep. I'll be right back." He whispered, kissing the top of her shoulder as he rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

When he came back, she's vaguely aware of him getting into bed, facing her. He wrapped his arm around her, one hand covering her rear and the other lightly rubbing her back, and then she pressed deeper into him.

"I love you," she whispered.

* * *

When Melinda started to wake, she saw that it's barely light out and that Jim was staring at her. She realized that it must be barely seven and wondered how long he's been up.

"God, you're gorgeous," he whispered. He reached over and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I love seeing you like this, from four inches away…right when you've just woken up… and before you start scowling and pulling the covers over your head." And then she scowled and he laughed. "You're still gorgeous when you scowl though," he smiled, bringing her left hand to his lips.

She pulled it back to rub the blurriness from her eyes. Then she blinked at him.

"You need to grow your hair back out," she whispered, her throat scratchy.

"Already noted." He said.

"Good," she said, pulling the covers back over her head.


	52. Bad Blood

**A/N: I know I usually write a scene that's from the show, but I just didn't have the energy lol. Plus this isn't the most interesting episode for a ghost. Also, not much Jimel either. Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

After Jim and Melinda ate dinner, they moved to the couch, both still finishing their beers from dinner.

"Pizza is always a good decision," Melinda concluded, leaning closer into him with a smile. "We should go to Mario's more often."

"You just want to try and crossover that delivery boy you were talking about," Jim tipped his beer back with a chuckle, shaking his head at him. "Maybe next time, dear. You've got enough on your plate this week."

"Yeah, that's true. The Sinclair's are more puzzling though," she sighed. "I'm not quite sure what's going on completely."

"You'll figure it out," Jim whispered into a kiss against her head as he stood up to throw away his beer. "Want me to finish that for you?"

"Yes, please," she blushed, laughing a little. She had been swirling around the last half for a while and gave it to him easily. "Thanks," she smiled.

"You can head on up if you want," he said, leaning in to grab the bottle from her.

"I think I'll wait a bit," she said, leaning back into the couch. She looked away, taking in a breath and releasing it as she closed her eyes. "I'm comfy."

"That's good. Just relax," he sat down on the floor as he took a sip from the beer she'd given him. He couldn't help but think of the topic that had come up before dinner.

How he'd believed in her gift, too easily in her opinion.

All he could think of was the girl she'd been when they'd met. So closed off to the world, no one to confide in. The girl who looked over her shoulder whenever she talked to a ghost, making sure no one was watching her.

He turned around to see that her eyes were still closed in a moment of relaxation. Her hair was flowing over her the top of her black sweater and he followed the curve of her body to the beginning of her grey trousers. He smiled when he saw how peaceful she looked at first until he saw past it. She was worried for that family, for the ghost, if it was, in fact, Elizabeth Sinclar.

"You'll figure it out," he whispered into her pants. He moved up to sit next to her slowly until he was right next to her just as her eyes opened to look at him. "You always do."

She nodded, smiling a little just as their lips met for a few tender moments.

The unexpected display of affection spread a warmth through her that was just what she needed after a long, puzzling day. She relaxed into him just as he started pulling away to throw away the beer bottles.

She shook her head and pulled him back by the collar of his shift. "Jim, stay," she whispered, but he still tried to go throw them away. "Please," she bit her lip impatiently and sighed.

"I'll be right back, Mel. I'll be quick," he said, reluctantly pulling away from her. "I just want to throw the bottles away, then I'm all yours."

She sighed and pulled him in for a kiss. She knew that if she held him in long enough, he'd probably give in.

"Mel," he breathed, setting the beers down on the coffee table as he took her face in his hands. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she smiled, kissing his cheek. "I just was thinking about what we talked about in the kitchen. How you support me and laugh with me about my funny ghosts and you help me through the really hard ones. You're just there for me no matter what circumstance."

"Isn't that what being together is all about?" He asked, leaning in to kiss her neck. She had told him about her day. About the paint spilling and the ghost in the garage. Even the boring part when she did all the inventory for the week at the store. Very productive, but still boring.

"Before you, I just woke up from nightmares alone, shoved everything down to try and compartmentalize it somehow. It wasn't a life I wanted to live," she breathed, trying to keep her composure for as long as she could. A couple tears had already made their way down her cheeks and Jim kissed each one. "Before you, I was scared of falling in love with someone."

"It hurts me so much to think of you hurting like that," he whispered, holding her close in a hug. He seemed to hold her there forever, for as long as she needed.

Once she pulled back, they didn't move far apart, their faces pressed against each other and their lips met again.

"I love you," Jim breathed as their lips parted for a moment.

"I love you too," she licked her lips, smiling at him. "Wanna head up to bed?"

He shrugged, "Or we could stay right here by the fire for a little while like you said." he said, leaning in to breathe in the smell of her neck his lips peppering up the scale of it, reaching her jaw.

She laughed, breathlessly, moaning as his hands parted her legs. "That works too," she said, turning his head toward hers to kiss him again.


	53. All Ghost Lead to Grandview

**A/N: Jim and Melinda go through a lot throughout the entire series, but especially during the second, third and fourth seasons. Here's a bit of happiness for them when they take a camping trip this episode :) I imagine they were there a day or two before Becca found them. Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

It's already warm by the time Jim and Melinda reach the clearing that led them up to the lake. They didn't take much with them, only a small bag of food Jim had packed for their hike and day at the lake. They didn't bother to bring more then they needed since it was just a mile walk back to the campsite. Even still, the mid-morning sun had caused them both to break into a sweat.

"I'm already ready for a swim after this hike here," Melinda said just as the silvery-blue reflections of the lake come into view. "I could just run right in."

"Shouldn't be much longer," Jim said, pushing leaves out of the way so she could walk ahead into the clearing of a grassy expanse that turned into a gravelly sandy beach. "Don't you want to eat first?"

"No," she told him. "I had enough at breakfast this morning for now. Didn't you?"

"I guess," he shrugged.

Melinda set her bag down before taking off her shoes and socks. While Jim straightened a blanket out on the ground for them for their stuff to sit on, Melinda immediately began pulling clothes off until she was only in her swimsuit.

"Can't wait?" He asked, his blue eyes studying her body, her every move as she shimmied out of her pants and tossed them aside.

"No, I think I'm gonna go test the water," she smiled playfully at him, fixing her purple top before walking down the beach a bit. "Better hurry or I'll beat you in there!"

He grinned and shook his head at this because of course, she was going to win this imaginary race she'd concocted for them. She was already halfway to the water before he even had his shirt off. She didn't take time to acclimate herself once she reached where the water lapped against the sandy shore. It's so nice that she walked right in and swam under, breathing a sigh of relief from the cooler temperature. She swam out as far as she could and then came back up, lying back on her back and staring up at the brilliant blue sky above.

The day was glorious.

It wasn't long before Jim came into the water behind her. Without warning, he swam up next to her and scooped her up into his arms and out of the water.

"Jim!" She shrieked with laughter.

He spun slowly in place until he let her go, and they crashed back into the lake together, both of them giggling like small children. Then she was up on her feet and looking at him with her hands on her hips, feigning a look of righteous indignation.

"Jim Clancy," she said in the harshest voice she could muster. "Do you think that's funny?"

He was on his feet now too and before he answered he swam closer until he was standing right in front of her, then gave her a silly, boyish grin. "Yes," he admitted. "It was pretty funny."

She shook her head, but before she could say anything else, he reached over and pulled her in for a kiss. On her lips, she could taste every sweet berry he's eaten today on their hike.

His skin was warm from being in the sun. Hot, even.

It felt nice against the cool water beading from her wet skin. She felt a familiar tingle run down through her entire being and pool in her toes.

Pushing away from him, she turned and walked away. "No," she said.

"No?" She could hear the confusion in his voice and smiled a little. "Did I do something, Mel?"

This was not how he expected this to play out.

She looked back over her shoulder at him and smirked, then said, "I don't think I should reward you for doing that."

"For doing what?" He asked a little too innocently.

"Catching me," she sighed. "You're going to have to try a little harder- " she stopped because before she even finished the sentence, Jim came splashing after her. Laughing, she began racing away from him, but she didn't really try too hard to get away. He caught up to her just as she was reaching the shore and encompassed her in his arms. "JIM!"

"I thought you said you were hot?" He whispered in her ear.

"I was," she whispered back, meeting the playful glint in his eyes with one of her own. She tried to hold a serious look, but it's no use. A grin crept onto her face. "But the lake was cold enough to cool me down."

"Then I'll have to warm you up, won't I?" She didn't even try to fight his kiss this time, instead, she let herself give into it, and practically melt into his body as she did so.

He held her securely in his arms, his large hands clasped protectively on her back. They began to graze lightly over the exposed skin, running up to her shoulders, then dangerously low down her back. Another electric volt coursed through her, causing her to sigh.

She brought her own arms up and wrapped them tightly around his neck, bringing him closer for a fierce kiss. They began to walk back into the water, sinking down into the depths, holding each other close. She could feel the shudder run through him, and his whole body responded against her as he kissed her neck.

There was no stopping what's about to happen, and really, why should there be? They're married, alone, and on their camping vacation.

It was Jim who brought it up first. He pulled away, albeit reluctantly, and held her hands in his, his blue eyes reflecting concern as they search mine. "Here?" She bit her lip and nodded. Why shouldn't it be here? They've always loved swimming in this lake, haven't they? "Okay… " He agreed. "But… right here?"

She glanced around them, her head feeling a bit foggy. She guessed her husband was right. Right here does seem a bit… open. "No. Somewhere more private." She whispered.

"Where?" He asked.

She thought about that for a while. They could go to their camp, but she's not sure she wanted to wait as long as it took to walk there. There's the old, abandoned cabin, but they were always worried the owner might come back. Both of them look around, until she spied a tall clump of grass growing not too far from the shore of the lake, only a short distance away from them.

Perfect.

"Come with me," she whispered, pressing her lips against his briefly. "I have a spot."

"Okay," he said, smiling against her cheek as they pulled back.

They swam over hand in hand and sank into the long blades that concealed them perfectly once they're sitting.

That was a relief.

She doubted anyone would even come up to the lake, not many campsites were as near to it as they were. But they still didn't want to take a chance. Neither of them even remove much clothing, only taking off the necessary articles required for the act.

Once Jim was inside her, though, all fears of being caught melted away as she's taken up in the pleasure of him. Of Jim. Her strong, forever there husband.

She fell into rhythm with him, wrapping her arms around him, lightly running her nails up and down his back as they kissed lazily. Above them, the sun shone brilliantly, the sky was a dazzling blue, the grass was a vibrant green. Life was teeming all around us.

When they were both finished, Jim settled down next to her, his legs kicked up as he relaxed. Even he looked beautiful in the summer sunshine and post-sex glow. The light made the hair all over his body glisten, and a sleepy smile illuminated his face. "That was amazing," he said, pressing a kiss to her neck as he pulled her snug to him. "We should do that more often."

She smiled and moved so that her head rested on his strong shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, and for some time, they both laid there in silence.

It wasn't much time that passed, but it's Jim who got up first, pulling her up after him and leading her back to the lake where they swam around for some time. Laughing as they splashed and played with each other. The day faded into evening, as they went to lay on their towels gather and eat the bit of food they brought. Jim started a fire to cook dinner.

After they ate their dinner, they sit together, Melinda between Jim's legs with her back to his chest. They watched as fireflies slowly began to dot the air, striking against the fading light.

"We should get back," he said after a while, kissing her neck. "Wild dogs and other things come out in the dark in these woods."

"We've survived worse," she said. "I think we'll be fine for another few minutes."

He nodded and rested his hand on top of hers as it rested on her stomach. He didn't answer for some time. When he finally did, it's only in the form of a soft kiss he planted on top of her head; then he nestled his face into her hair. She didn't know what possessed her to say it, but it came out before she thought too long on it.

"I wish we could live in this moment forever," she whispered.

She didn't even have to look at him to know that he's smiling. He bought her hand up, to his soft lips, and gave it a kiss.

"I'm starting to think we can," he reassured her.


	54. Holiday Spirit

**A/N: During the holidays, I imagine Melinda and Jim would travel to see Faith. This is set just after the episode for Christmas Eve and Christmas at Jim's family home in upstate New York.**

* * *

Melinda lurked around the upstairs window and watched Jim as he went out into the cold, shoveling the snow from the door to the driveway. Her eyes followed his every move just like they have done every day. She watched him pick up a shovel full of snow, his hands gripping the plastic shovel, the sinew of his strong arms shifting with his toss over his shoulder.

She walked away from the window then, going to sit on the bed. She pulled on the pair of socks she'd set on the bed earlier and moved toward the hallway. Faith was busy in the kitchen as she walked down the stairs and pulled on her boots and jacket quickly before slipping out the front door.

The puffs of warm breath from her mouth dissolve into the cold December air as she walked down the steps of the porch. At that moment when she saw Jim, it made her ache for the years to come with him at their home with their own family one day.

Jim turned toward her as she stepped closer as he tossed another shovel full of snow. He waved and stuck his shovel in the snow as he walked toward her.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" He asked, his cheeks red from the cold as he leaned down to kiss her briefly.

She laughed, touching his cold cheeks as she kissed him back leaning up on her tiptoes. "I just missed you," she whispered. "I forgot you were going to shovel and then when I saw you I knew I wanted to come out and see you."

"I'm glad you did," he smiled. "I'm almost done."

"Oh, yeah?" She asked, smiling against his lips as they still remained that close to each other before she went back down on her flat feet. "Then can we watch a movie and spend some time together?"

"You'll just have to wait and see what we do Mel," he winked, smiling as he stepped backward toward his shovel. "I'll be done soon."

"Yeah, yeah." She nodded, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips softly before turning to go. "You always say that."

"I'll be quick! Promise." He said, leaning toward her smack her rear as she walked away. "I love you."

She giggled as she peeked over her shoulder at him. "I love you too," she said, blowing him a kiss as she stepped up on the porch.

Jim Clancy was the only man who made her feel so giddy with a just a look in his eyes and a little bit of his touch.

God, that man. She loved him so much.

* * *

Jim tossed his last shovel full of snow about twenty minutes after his wife went inside. He was so glad to finally be done. He walked toward the porch with the shovel, pulling his hat off and leaning the shovel against the side of the house as he walked inside.

He could hear Melinda's laugh as soon as he walked into the foyer. She must be in the kitchen with his mother.

He pulled off his coat and boots before walking toward the kitchen, which was down the long hallway. He leaned against the doorway and was met with the scene of his mother grabbing something from the oven as Melinda sat on the stood nearby.

Melinda's smile radiated a warmth all the way across the kitchen, filling him of so many feelings, buried like the streets outside under the piles of snow. More beautiful than any ornament on the tree, she seemed to emit a glimmer so bright and unique he couldn't look away. It was like looking at a masterpiece hanging in a museum.

Meeting her gaze took his breath away. Holding it made breathing difficult to resume. The wave followed by that special smile just for him simply stole the art of taking in any air at all. He felt like a schoolboy again, staring at that one girl from afar, admiring, too embarrassed to go say hello. To close the distance.

"Want some cocoa?" She asked, her eyebrows cocked in that subtle way that she probably didn't even realize she did, analyzing him from where she sat.

"Sure," he smiled, walking closer. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek as he sat next to her.

She poured him a cup from the kettle that was near her. The warmth and rich smell rise up from within the mug she held. She handed him the insulated cup.

Chocolate was no longer the extravagant decadence as it was when he was younger, but yet, all the same, he didn't have it often.

"Here." She said, smiling at him, taking a sip of her own. "It's delicious."

"I know," he reminded, taking a sip.

She rolled her eyes, looking away and taking a cookie from the tray on the counter for both her and him, sliding his over with a smiling. It's still warm. It's one of his favorite holiday treats of his mother's, right after the hot chocolate.

He grinned at her, dipping his cookie into the hot chocolate, just as he would when he was younger.

"Warmer?" She asked.

"Yeah." He was not chattering as much, but she supposed the cold was still soaked into his bones. She supposed he'd been out there for a while. "Took a while to shovel all that snow."

She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder, before wrapping his arm around him. They sit in easy silence, listening to Jim's mother as she cooked Christmas Eve dinner.

The perfect holiday spent with his wife and mother in his childhood home.


End file.
